Canada and Europe: A Natural Partnership for a Changing World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canada and Europe: A Natural Partnership for a Changing World

Media Contact: Cathy Orlando, National Director, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada cathy@citizensclimate.org | 705-929-4043

SUDBURY, ON — September 18, 2026 — Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada welcomes the European Union’s proposal to open the door to Canada becoming its first “associate member” as a logical next step in building the resilient, diversified economy Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for.

In his January Davos speech, Carney argued that Canada must stop waiting for the old world order to return and instead build new institutions, partnerships and economic strength. This week, addressing the European Parliament, he described Canada and Europe as natural allies facing common challenges, climate change and welcomed the EU’s ambition for a deeper relationship.

“The world is undergoing an enormous economic transformation as we move away from fossil fuels,” said Cathy Orlando, National Director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada. “Canada should be building strong relationships with countries and blocs that are moving in the same direction. The European Union is one of them.”

Orlando has attended UN climate conferences as an observer from 2017 to 2023 and the IPCC Plenary in Montreal in 2017. She says the alignment between Canada and European countries was evident across many streams of international climate negotiations, particularly compared with the obstruction seen from the United States under the Trump administration.

Canada and Europe also have complementary economic strengths. Canada has critical minerals, clean electricity, clean steel and significant opportunities for wind-hydrogen projects in Newfoundland. Europe brings major markets, advanced manufacturing, research capacity and extensive experience with carbon pricing, climate regulation, sustainable finance, and accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy.

CCL Canada’s experience of our volunteers lobbying their parliamentarians also suggests that the Carney government is increasingly looking to markets to help determine where Canada should place its bets. That makes the economics of new fossil-fuel infrastructure particularly important. Recent analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) finds that Alberta’s proposed West Coast oil pipeline is unlikely to be needed under most scenarios and could impose higher costs on producers through high tolls. The Pembina Institute similarly describes the project as a risky gamble for taxpayers, noting the absence of private investment and weakening global oil demand. Both the IEFFA and Pembina’s analysis of Canadian LNG expansion raises similar concerns, pointing to slowing or uncertain demand in key Asian markets, growing global supply and the high costs of Canadian projects.

“If we really want markets to help course-correct on the climate crisis, we have to pay attention to what markets are telling us,” said Orlando. “The question is not whether Canada can build another pipeline or LNG project. It is whether these are wise investments in a rapidly changing global energy system. The latest financial analysis suggests we should be very cautious about asking taxpayers to carry those risks.”

That caution may also have political relevance. Recent polling commissioned by Environmental Defence and conducted by Liaison Strategies in 12 Ontario federal ridings found that 50–59 per cent of respondents, including Liberal voters, said they would be less likely to support an MP who backed taxpayer funding for another oil pipeline.

“Canada has an opportunity to build the future rather than double down on the past,” said Orlando. “Closer ties with Europe can help us diversify our markets, strengthen our climate policies and direct capital toward the technologies and infrastructure that will define the next economy.”

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