Minister Ng concludes successful Canada Trade Mission to Chile

April 14, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada 

Canada and Chile have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations for more than 80 years, bolstered by equally strong commercial and investment relations. Both countries share deep commitments to inclusive trade and gender equality, the inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises in international trade, responsible business conduct, environmental protection, and labour rights.

Today, Canada concluded a successful trade mission to Chile, led by the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, alongside Parliamentary Secretary Soraya Martinez Ferrada.

Upon arrival in Santiago, Chile, Minister Ng participated in a roundtable with Canadian investors in Chile to discuss the business and investment climate. She then met with Chile’s Minister of Women and Gender Equity, Antonia Orellana, to discuss Chile’s priorities for gender equality and Canada and Chile’s shared commitment to advancing women’s participation in the economy. The ministers also identified areas of collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Chile and the Government of Canada on Cooperation in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. 

Minister Ng met with Alberto van Klaveren, Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Claudia Sanhueza, Under–Secretary for International Economic Relations, to discuss the strength of Canada and Chile’s partnership and the importance of upholding the international rules-based order. Together, they signed a joint statement on deepening their collaboration in the promotion of inclusive and sustainable trade, including support of the green economy. 

Minister Ng met with Chile’s Minister of Mining, Marcela Hernando, and the Undersecretary of Mining, Willy Kracht, and published a joint statement between Canada and Chile to strengthen our 2 countries’ collaboration on critical minerals.

While in Santiago, Minister Ng also met with Chile’s Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism, Nicolás Grau, to discuss growing inclusive and green economies.

At Chile’s National Congress in Valparaíso, Minister Ng joined a group of parliamentarians to welcome Chile’s recent ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and offer her support for further growing Canada-Chile trade relations.

While in Algarrobo, Chile, Minister Ng visited Oneka Technologies, a youth-owned and -led Quebec start-up that is developing a desalination system to turn sea water into fresh water by using the energy of ocean waves exclusively. This Canadian technology is providing a solution to water scarcity in Chile caused by climate change. Minister Ng announced $4.9 million in funding so that Oneka can continue to grow its Glacier utility-scale project in Chile.

The Minister also visited Summit Nanotech to launch its operations in Chile. Summit Nanotech is a woman-owned and -led start-up from Alberta testing its technologies with local mining companies to make lithium extraction cleaner and more efficient, transforming how the world accesses lithium for the green energy transition.

On behalf of Minister Ng, Parliamentary Secretary Soraya Martinez Ferrada spoke with a group of Indigenous women from Chile, who are members of the UN Women’s Originarias program, about the Government of Canada’s commitment to inclusive trade. She expressed Canada’s goal to ensure that the benefits of trade are more widely shared, including with groups historically under-represented in the economy and international trade, such as women and Indigenous peoples.

Throughout the mission, Minister Ng and Parliamentary Secretary Martinez Ferrada spent time with the Canadian delegates to learn about their ongoing and future potential initiatives in Chile. The trade mission connected Canadian businesses with more than 200 potential clients and created opportunities for greater collaboration.