October 31, 2025

Canada’s Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson and Italy's Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin met today on the margins of the G7 Energy and Environment Ministerial Meeting in Toronto to formally launch the Canada-Italy bilateral Energy Dialogue. The Ministers jointly decided the Energy Dialogue will serve as a coordination mechanism to advance shared energy and natural resources priorities highlighted under the June 2025 Joint Statement by Prime Minister Mark Carney and President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni, and future initiatives that may be identified.

The Ministers welcomed the recent Canada Trade Mission to Italy, which included energy and clean technology amongst its priority sectors and looked forward to the proposed reciprocal visit to Canada by Italian companies for a Business Forum in 2026.

Critical minerals cooperation:

Recognizing the essential role that critical minerals play in energy security, clean technology and defence, Canada and Italy are committed to enhancing cooperation on critical minerals and critical raw materials, in line with the Joint Statement on Critical Minerals and Critical Raw Materials.

In this regard, the Ministers discussed the excellent collaboration already achieved under the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, and to build on this momentum by deploying sovereign tools, mobilizing private and public capital as well as securing offtake arrangements to accelerate the development of responsible, secure, resilient critical minerals supply chains that power the clean energy transition.

Nuclear cooperation:

Recognizing the role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero goals, Canada and Italy committed to continue exploring opportunities for scientific, regulatory, and industrial collaboration, leveraging both countries’ sectorial activities and expertise.

Cooperation on other energy sectors:

The Ministers also jointly decided that the Energy Dialogue would be used to advance cooperation in other areas such as LNG, sustainable fuels including renewable and low carbon hydrogen and sustainable biofuels, renewables technologies, decarbonization and carbon management.

In this regard, the Ministers welcomed the recent signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Canadian Hydrogen Association (CHA) and the Italian Hydrogen Association (H2IT).

Follow up:

The Ministers have committed to regular engagement on these and other emerging energy issues through the Energy Dialogue at Senior Officials’ level in the coming months.

The next one is expected to take place on the margins of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention from March 1-4, 2026, in Toronto.  The Ministers encouraged Senior Officials to consider how to engage private industry and thought leaders in future sector specific discussions.

The Ministers also announced plans to carry out trade missions to Canada and Italy in the coming months to advance commercial ties for mutual benefit.

Our Statement of Intent today demonstrates the strong mutual commitment to partnership in an area vital to the economic prosperity and security of both countries.  The Ministers noted their strong interest to concretely advance important initiatives to further deepen this longstanding and evolving bilateral relationship.