Canada-Ireland relations
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Bilateral relations
Canada and Ireland have a close relationship based on historic and people-to-people links and common fundamental values that underpin cooperation on regional and global issues. In 2024, Canada and Ireland are celebrating 85 years of diplomatic relations. In March 2021, Canada’s House of Commons unanimously agreed to the motion to make March the Irish Heritage Month, recognizing the important contributions that Irish-Canadians have made to building Canada, and to Canadian society in general.
Over 4.4 million Footnote 1 Canadians (12.1% of the population) claim some Irish ancestry, making Irish the third-largest ethnic group in Canada.
Ireland is one of Canada’s most like-minded partners in the European Union. Canada and Ireland share values and common priorities, including support for gender equality and human rights. We also cooperate closely on environment protection and climate action.
Canada is represented in Ireland by an embassy in Dublin. In Canada, Ireland is represented by an embassy in Ottawa and consulates in Vancouver and Toronto.
Trade relations
Canada and Ireland enjoy a strong commercial relationship that includes significant trade flows, and extensive two-way investment.
Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Ireland totalled $4.0 billion in 2023 with Canadian exports of $726.3 million and imports of $3.3 billion. Canada’s merchandise exports to Ireland were led by cereals, accounting for 37% of exports. Canada’s merchandise imports were led pharmaceutical products, accounting for 55.4% of imports from Ireland. In terms of services trade, Canada exported $2.5 billion in services to Ireland in 2022, and imported $3.8 billion of services from Ireland in 2022.
Investment: Ireland's FDI stock in Canada stood at $17.7 billion in 2022. Ireland ranked as the 12th largest investor country (7th largest from Europe) of FDI stock in Canada in 2022 (Ultimate Investing Country basis).
Canada and Ireland are parties to several bilateral treaties, including the Agreement on Social Security (1992), the Canada-Ireland Income Tax Convention (2005), and the Audiovisual Co-Production Treaty (2016).
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Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Ireland work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
- European Union (EU)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- Pacific Alliance
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
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