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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Americas

Canada

Singapore's diplomatic relationships and recent highlights with Canada.

Overview

Singapore and Canada enjoy warm and friendly relations. Canada was one of the first countries that established diplomatic ties with Singapore after our independence in 1965. In 2015, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Bilateral cooperation is wide-ranging and spans the areas of cybersecurity, infrastructure, education, science and technology, trade, defence, and people-to-people exchanges. Singapore and Canada also have a close association through our membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. As an Observer in the Arctic Council, Singapore is also working with Canada to explore collaborative initiatives to advance the Council’s work.

Recent highlights

2020

  • Minister (Foreign Affairs) Dr Vivian Balakrishnan regularly participates in the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19 (MCGC) convened by Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne to facilitate coordination and information sharing among countries on the COVID-19 situation. The MCGC issued a Declaration on Maintaining Essential Global Links in April 2020 to highlight the importance of maintaining global connectivity such as transport and supply chain links.

2019

  • Canadian Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June 2019, during which he met with Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.

2018

  • A delegation from the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade visited Singapore in February 2018 as part of a regional visit, and met then-Senior Minister of State for Finance Indranee Rajah.

  • Then-Canadian Minister of International Trade François-Philippe Champagne visited Singapore to attend the 4th Canada-ASEAN Business Council and Trilateral Commission Singapore Plenary Meeting in March 2018, during which he met then-Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. 

  • Canadian Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June 2018, during which he met with Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.

  • Then-Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland attended the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in August 2018. During her visit, Minister Freeland called on then-Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam and had a pull-aside with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Minister Freeland also delivered the 32nd International Institute for Strategic Studies Fullerton Lecture.

  • Then-Canadian Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr visited Singapore from 30 August to 2 September 2018 to attend the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings. During the visit, Minister Carr met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and had a pull-aside with Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.

  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the 33rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in November 2018 as Guest of the ASEAN Chair. During the visit, Prime Minister Trudeau called on President Halimah Yacob.  At his meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, both leaders witnessed the exchange of agreements between Cyber Security Agency and Global Affairs Canada on cybersecurity cooperation, and between Infrastructure Asia and Global Affairs Canada on infrastructure and smart cities cooperation.