Global Scans · Canada · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The U.S. and Canada's new governments will have their work cut out dealing with potential changes to their trade agreements while simultaneously Canada will be anxious to implement CETA with the EU.

• [New] The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will drive a projected 3.7% increase in international visits to North America. Kavout
• [New] Through the Sovereign Technology Alliance, Canada and Germany will deepen coordination with trusted partners to strengthen sovereign AI capacity and reduce strategic technology dependencies. The AI Journal
• [New] Canada may soon follow in China's footsteps, after one study found that trees planted on the edge of the boreal forest could remove more than five times Canada's annual carbon emissions. Live Science
• [New] Canadian oil sands producers lead by Cenovus Energy Inc. plan to expand production next year despite an impending supply glut that threatens to deepen the slump in crude prices. Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Feat
• [New] The Bank of Canada is expected to cut policy interest rates further towards 2.25% from 2.75% at present. / Canada Policy Center
• [New] Air Canada will in 2026 bring in 35 new aircraft, including both its first Airbus A321XLRs and Boeing 787 - 10s. Flight Global
• [New] Canada could remove more than five times its annual carbon emissions from the atmosphere by the end of the century by planting trees along the northern edge of its boreal forest, a new study suggests. Live Science
• [New] The coming decade will be critical in determining the pace and scale of SMR commercialization and their contribution to Canada's climate and economic goals. Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Feat
• [New] Small Modular Reactors have significant potential to transform Canada's energy landscape by providing clean, reliable, and flexible power. Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Feat
• [New] The first operational SMR in Canada could be running by 2029-2030, with broader adoption following over the next decade. Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Feat
• [New] Canada is not on track to meet any of its climate targets - not the 2026 interim emissions reduction target, the 2030 Paris Agreement commitment, or even the long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Canadian Manufacturing Online
• [New] Canadian Government Bond Yields Higher-than-expected inflation could push yields higher, as markets price in a higher-for-longer rate path. FinancialJuice
• [New] Earlier this week, Air Canada announced it's ordering eight Airbus A350 - 1000 wide-body aircraft as it plans to expand its non-stop flights from Canada to the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. Winnipeg Free Press
• [New] Perhaps more importantly, China will invest in EV production capacity in Canada. Center for American Progress
• [New] Telecom giant Bell Canada plans to build an AI data center campus south of Regina. Data Centre News with Andy Davis
• [New] In Canada, Q4 base earnings were $400 million, up 10% year over year, driven by favorable insurance experience in insurance & risk solutions and group benefits and higher fee income, partly offset by lower surplus earnings. Insurance Business
• [New] Canada's population is expected to shrink in 2026, meaning a smaller pool of available workers. The Globe and Mail
• [New] The Canadian government plans to open a diplomatic mission in Anchorage, Alaska. financialpost
• [New] Prime Minister Carney has committed Canada to meeting the new NATO spending benchmark of 3.5% of GDP for direct military expenditures by 2035, with an additional 1.5% allocated to defense-related infrastructure. Ronin's Grips
• [New] The steps still to be taken to support the long-term competitiveness of Canada's automotive sector will be worth monitoring as Canada, Mexico, and the United States get closer to the scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. BLG
• [New] Canada will deploy up to $3 B from the Strategic Response Fund and $100M from the Regional Tariff Response Initiative to support automotive manufacturing, including electric vehicle (EV) assembly, battery technology, automation, and advanced parts production. BLG
• [New] In Canada, winter protocols reduce train lengths and speeds during extreme cold, so expect elevated dwell times across the Canadian network through Q1. DredgeWire
• [New] Canada's Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), part of the broader Digital Charter Implementation Act, is expected to advance further in 2026. JD Supra

Last updated: 18 February 2026