Ottawa, Ontario
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, returns from a successful trip in Germany and Norway that will deliver tangible benefits for Canadians by strengthening domestic value chains, unlocking investment and joint research opportunities, and creating jobs.
At the 2026 edition of HANNOVER MESSE, the world's largest industrial fair, Minister Joly met with senior government officials, including Katherina Reiche, Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, and with representatives of key industry leaders, including Siemens, Bayer, Schneider Electric and others. She promoted Canadian industry, reinforced Canada as a trusted global partner and positioned Canada as a strategic location for foreign direct investment. She also announced a $23 million investment for a $70 million project through the Strategic Response Fund for Siemens to scale up its Global AI Manufacturing Technologies Research and Development Center for Battery production in Canada. Finally, she celebrated an investment of $60 million for 14 new projects made by the Advanced Manufacturing Cluster (NGen). The projects funded by both of these investments will create good jobs for Canadians, grow our advanced manufacturing and research sectors, and build a competitive, resilient Canadian economy.
In Norway, Minister Joly met with top government officials and industry leaders to advance bilateral cooperation. Discussions focused on promoting collaboration on defence, space, research and enhanced supply chain resiliency.
To wrap up the trip, Minister Joly and Sigrun Aasland, Norway's Minister of Research and Higher Education, signed a joint statement to further bilateral science and research collaborations. With an ambitious plan and an accompanying roadmap, Canada and Norway will work together to ensure that data collected in their Arctic regions, including climate-related data, is securely protected but accessible. This will also help keep Arctic data open and comprehensive to the widest range of users, while collectively addressing global challenges with sustainable solutions.
