Greece Secures 7 Firefighting Aircraft From Canada During Mitsotakis-Trudeau Meeting

A joint statement between the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, has confirmed the Greek acquisition of seven state-of-the-art DHC-515 firefighting aircraft from the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The two state leaders met in Montreal on Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day. This was the first visit of a Greek Prime Minister to Canada in 41 years.

“Canada is honoured to host Greece on this occasion, reaffirming the enduring friendship between our countries, as reflected in the strength and extent of our close strategic, economic and cultural ties,” the joint statement says.

There are nearly 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin and many Canadians living, working, and studying in Greece, which is why Canada is investing in a brand-new Laval Community Complex alongside the Hellenic Community of Greater Montréal.

The complex will be a space for the public, including the Greek community, to celebrate culture, tradition, and heritage. It will include a theater, a sports complex, a library, offices, and other spaces to bring the community together and host commemorative events.

Greece, Canada enjoy successful economic partnership

The acquisition of the firefighting aircraft is a sign of the dynamic trade and economic partnership that Canada and Greece enjoy.

“The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has created significant opportunity for both Greek and Canadian businesses and workers. Since its provisional application in 2017, trade between Canada and Greece has grown by 80%,” the two leaders said in their statement.

“Moreover, investors, in industries like health, renewable energy, infrastructure and mineral resources, have injected billions of dollars into our respective economies. The potential for further growth in trade and investment between our countries remains strong, including in sectors such as aerospace, defense and security, professional training, and tourism,” they add.

The two countries are planning to explore a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism promotion that looks at sharing data on how to best increase tourist flows between Canada and Greece, and collaborating on best practices to deal with the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the tourism sector.

The recent negotiations between Canada and the European Union towards Canada’s association in the EU’s flagship research and innovation program, Horizon Europe, will also open new opportunities for Canada to work with Greece on projects and initiatives in emerging technologies such as AI.