TORONTO – Italy and Canada will collaborate on energy in a more stable, more institutionalized manner, involving officials, businesses, and research centers from both countries. The “Canada-Italy Bilateral Energy Dialogue”, envisioned in the declaration signed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis last June, is now entering its implementation phase. The “Dialogue” was indeed made operational during the G7 Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting held on Friday in Toronto, where Italian Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and Canadian Minister Tim Hodgson chaired the first bilateral Italy-Canada “energetic” meeting.
Since the “Dialogue” aims to strengthen the energy security of the two countries, it provides a bilateral coordination mechanism to pursue shared priorities in energy and natural resources, as well as to identify joint initiatives. The meeting therefore focused on Italy’s interest in cooperating with Canada in the nuclear energy sector, given the North American country’s significant experience in this field, particularly in small modular reactors (SMRs). Also of particular importance is cooperation in the strategic sector of critical minerals, on which Italy and Canada intend to work together, building on the G7 alliance for the production of critical minerals and thanks also to the “Special Envoys” with the aim of developing responsible, secure, and resilient supply chains. To this end, the ministers recognized the importance of encouraging bilateral industrial collaboration, involving Italian companies such as ENI, Alkeemia, and Cogne Acciai Speciali SPA, which have expressed strong interest in the opportunities offered by Canada in this sector.
Also discussed were sectors such as LNG, sustainable fuels, including renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable biofuels, renewable technologies, decarbonization, and carbon management. In this regard, the ministers recalled the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Italian Hydrogen Association (H2IT) and its Canadian counterpart (Canadian Hydrogen Association – CHA). The launch of the bilateral “Dialogue” thus initiates ongoing and institutionalized discussions on energy matters, including among senior officials, industry, and experts.
Here the Joint Statement on the Inaugural Canada-Italy Bilateral Energy Dialogue.
The next meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, scheduled for March 2026 (from 1st to 4th), also in Toronto. In the coming months, reciprocal missions to Canada and Italy will also follow to promote trade ties. These initiatives will help further strengthen the strategic bilateral partnership between Italy and Canada, which began on Friday in Toronto where Minister Pichetto Fratin had also the opportunity to meet with his counterparts from other countries, establishing collaboration and cooperation agreements such as those with Japan and the United States – pic below from G7 Canada.
At the conclusion of the G7 “environmental” summit in Toronto, the Italian minister, expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the meetings, stated: “We have the duty and responsibility to be ambitious. This is why we believe that Toronto undoubtedly represents a milestone on many issues and, at the same time, a stimulus and a starting point for reaffirming the leadership of this group…”.
During his Canadian mission, Pichetto Fratin also met with the Italian Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo. “It was a great pleasure for our Embassy to welcome Minister Pichetto Fratin to Toronto for the G7 Energy and Environment. We continue to work to strengthen Italy-Canada collaboration on energy, critical minerals, and the environment” Cattaneo stated.
In the pics above, Italian Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin (Environment and Energy Security) with Canadian Minister Tim Hodgson (Energy and Natural Resources); in the pic below, Minister Pichetto Fratin with the Italian Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo
