Video
Published16 September 2026Canada and the UK: A historic
partnership enters a new era
Few international relationships are as deep, durable, and commercially significant for Canada as its partnership with the United Kingdom. Built on shared history, legal traditions, and economic ties, the Canada–UK relationship continues to evolve around the forces shaping industrial and technological competitiveness today.
In this instalment of The Global Ambassador Forum, Todd Burke, Member of Gowling WLG’s International Board, speaks with British High Commissioner Rob Tinline about opportunities emerging across priority sectors, from quantum computing to naval shipbuilding to nuclear energy. Their conversation highlights the UK’s position as a stable and sophisticated market for Canadian businesses pursuing growth abroad—one supported by deep talent pools and tariff-free trade in goods—and explores how the two countries are working together to advance trade, embrace innovation, and reduce barriers to cross-border collaboration.
Rob Tinline: Thank you for having me here. It's been an absolutely fascinating time to be in Canada.
Todd Burke: Since Brexit, the United Kingdom has been developing new economic relationships around the world. Where do you see Canada lie in that diversification from the UK perspective?
Rob Tinline: It's a country with who we share a great deal of history. We're in the Commonwealth, we're in NATO. We've got a very common set of values and familiarity with each other, complementarity with each other. So, Canada will continue to be absolutely at the heart of what we try and do to build our economy. Our trade strategy, which was published last year, has Canada as one of our priority partners. It will be no surprise to hear. So, Canada will remain absolutely at the core of what we're trying to do.
Todd Burke: Canada and the United Kingdom have recently expanded cooperation in the areas of quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. How important do you think innovation partnerships will be to the future of the Canada-UK relationship?
Rob Tinline: Emerging technologies are going to be the driver of growth in all of our economies over the next decade. One of the strengths in our partnership is some of the links between universities and research institutes. There's some absolutely fantastic technological cooperation that happens on quantum, on AI and on life sciences between institutions in Canada and institutions in the UK. Both governments and funding agencies do quite a lot to try and foster that, support that. And so, yeah, that cooperation into innovation and technology will be at the heart of the trading relationship and the investment relationship between Canada and the UK.
Todd Burke: The Prime Ministers of Canada and the UK, in March of this year, they pledged even further cooperation in defence between our two countries. What does that look like? What does that actually mean to the companies that are in the defence sector here in Canada?
Rob Tinline: So, obviously, some of that cooperation in defence is between the Armed Forces. There are British officers embedded in the Canadian military, Canadian officers embedded in the British military in the UK, and so there's a really strong kind of military-to-military cooperation that is part of that. But on the more commercial side, our two countries, NATO more broadly, is spending a lot more on defence. We are all stepping up that spend, but also that capability, and industry needs to step up to provide those new capabilities. So, there is a brilliant example out in Halifax, where Canada is building its new generation of destroyers. The Irving shipyard is expanding very significantly to do that: new jobs, new skills for Canadian workers, new capability for the Canadian military. But that capability is going to be there quicker and cheaper because it is building off our shipbuilding experience for the Royal Navy.
So, you've got BAE and Rolls-Royce as an integral part of designing and delivering that ship in Halifax. And so, I think as procurement steps up and we all try and work out how we deliver for our armed forces, I think you'll see a lot more of that sort of industrial cooperation where, when we want similar things for our militaries, we can do it more together. And that's one of the things that we spend some of our time talking to companies about, but also talking to the Canadian military about how we can identify those shared projects and where we can work together.
Todd Burke: And just to switch a little bit to economic security, energy and supply chains, how are trusted partners like Canada important to the UK as the UK seeks to strengthen its own energy security and industrial competitiveness?
Rob Tinline: Canada is a really important partner. I'd probably pick up on the nuclear industry, actually, as an example when it comes to energy security. Nuclear is having a real renaissance, both in the sort of technological innovation that's happening with advanced modular reactors, small modular reactors, even fusion in the years to come, and also in terms of investment. The amount of investment that we're making in nuclear, but Canada and other countries making nuclear is really scaling up. And if you look at the nuclear industries, there's elements of competition, which is great, but there's actually a lot of complementarity between the industries as well. And you've seen a whole series of agreements struck over the last year or so, whether that's about research, whether it's about fuels. And so, I think nuclear is an area where I think there's a great relationship already, but there's a real scope, as we kind of try and drive that energy security agenda for the UK and Canada to do more together.
Todd Burke: Are there impediments either on the Canadian side or on the UK side that could be eliminated to make the trade relationship even more robust?
Rob Tinline: So one of the things that happened last year was architects, the regulatory bodies who oversee architects in Canada and the UK, came together to look at how you accredit architects in, well, the provinces of Canada, actually, and in the UK, and managed to agree a much lighter and more accelerated way than an architect from the UK can practise in Canada and Canada can practise in the UK. And so, I think that sort of breaking down those barriers to professionals working in each other's countries, I think is one place where we would like to continue to focus. Because if you look at our trade deals, 99% of goods exports are now tariff-free. So, it's really on the services side that the more significant wins come.
And then the other one I would probably pick out is consumer-driven banking where Canada's looking at how it sort of moves into that sort of financial innovation space. And obviously, that's a great strength for us, both the financial services sector, but also on the technological side of financial services.
Todd Burke: Canada is encouraging its businesses to diversify. For Canadian companies looking to expand internationally, why should they be considering the United Kingdom?
Rob Tinline: Because it's a great country. So, look, I mean as I say, on the goods side, almost all our goods trade is tariff-free. So, it is straightforward to trade goods between our two countries, but more broadly, the strengths of the UK are in our regulatory stability, the strength of the rule of law, our really dynamic financial services, professional services, tech sectors. And we have a pool of talent and capability that could be really valuable to the Canadian business.
And so, actually, my team and I are here to try and make sure that continues to grow, to try and make those connections between British business and Canadian business and see the opportunities and help business take advantage of those opportunities.
Todd Burke: High Commissioner, thank you very much for taking the time. Really appreciate your view.
Rob Tinline: Thank you. It’s a pleasure.
About the Global Ambassador Forum
Gowling WLG’s Global Ambassador Forum is a thought leadership series featuring one-on-one conversations with senior diplomatic leaders from some of Canada’s key international partners. The series explores the relationships, trends, and opportunities shaping international business, offering perspectives on how countries and businesses can strengthen cross-border investment, innovation, and collaboration.
Go further
Explore our offices in the United Kingdom
Learn moreDoing Business in the UK
Big Picture for Business 2026
The CPTPP enters into force between Canada and the UK
Key Contacts
NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any action based upon this information. Never disregard professional legal advice or delay in seeking legal advice because of something you have read on this website. Gowling WLG professionals will be pleased to discuss resolutions to specific legal concerns you may have.
