A big week for the Ireland–Alberta corridor.

17 September 2026

Ireland-Alberta Trade Association welcomes Carney's Strasbourg address as a signal of opportunity for Irish and Albertan business

CALGARY / DUBLIN — The Ireland-Alberta Trade Association (IATA) has welcomed Prime Minister Mark Carney's address to the European Parliament and the European Commission's invitation for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member" as a significant moment for the economic corridor between Ireland and Alberta.

Addressing MEPs in Strasbourg on Thursday, Prime Minister Carney said Europe and Canada are "stronger together" and called for deeper cooperation across critical minerals, defence, artificial intelligence and energy security, alongside seamless digital trade, an integrated market for financial services and greater mobility for young people to live, work and study on either side of the Atlantic. His remarks followed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal a day earlier to upgrade the existing trade relationship into an "alliance for the future" and a "common prosperity and economic security space".

"Every one of the sectors named in Strasbourg this week, energy, critical minerals, AI, financial services, talent mobility,  is a sector where Ireland and Alberta already have complementary strengths," said Laureen Regan, President of the Ireland-Alberta Trade Association. "Alberta has the resources, the engineering depth and the project pipeline. Ireland has the EU market access, the financial services ecosystem and a highly educated, mobile workforce. What is being discussed at a continental level is something our members have been building company by company for years."

IATA noted that Ireland and Alberta are natural counterparts within a broader EU-Canada relationship: similar in population, both with competitive tax regimes, strong financial sectors, growing technology ecosystems and access to far larger markets beyond their own borders. 

Aine Keogh, Dublin-based IATA board member, added: "There is a real cultural alignment between Ireland and Alberta in terms of agility, hospitality and a genuine enjoyment of doing business together. As the EU and Canada move toward a deeper partnership, Irish and Albertan firms are unusually well placed to be first movers, particularly in sustainable energy, agri-food, clean technology and professional services."

The Association highlighted that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) already provides the legal foundation for this activity, eliminating the majority of tariff lines since its provisional entry into force in 2017. Outside Europe, the US and China, Canada is the largest market for indigenous Irish exporters, with more than 400 Enterprise Ireland clients employing over 6,000 people in the Canadian market. IATA continues to encourage full ratification of CETA by remaining EU member states, including Ireland, as the single most practical step available to unlock further two-way trade.

Detailed discussions between Canada and the EU are expected to advance at the Canada-EU Summit on 29–30 October. IATA is urging Irish and Albertan businesses to prepare now, building partnerships, market intelligence and export readiness,  so they are positioned to move when the framework takes shape.

"Trade corridors are not built in summit announcements alone; they are built by companies that know each other," Ms Regan said. "Our job is to make sure that when the door opens wider, Irish and Albertan firms are already standing in it."

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About the Ireland-Alberta Trade Association The Ireland-Alberta Trade Association (IATA) provides services and connections in support of bilateral trade between Ireland and Alberta. Based in Calgary, Alberta, IATA highlights sectoral expertise and strengths across both regions and drives connections to build a vibrant economic corridor between them.

Media contact Laureen Regan, President, Ireland-Alberta Trade Association email: laureen@irelandalbertatrade.com> phone: +1 403 615 7464