The European Investment Bank and the Canadian government have signed a Framework Agreement establishing the basis for the EIB to invest in Canada.
The agreement was signed at the EU–Canada Summit in Montréal on 30 October 2026, the EIB announced.
It follows a Letter of Intent signed by the EIB and Canada in Toronto in March.
The Framework Agreement allows the EIB to consider providing financing and advisory support for projects in Canada through loans, guarantees, equity and quasi-equity investments, as well as technical assistance.
Quasi-equity refers to financing that sits between debt and equity and can be structured to share some business risk.
The EIB said “critical raw materials” are expected to be an early focus — a term used for minerals considered essential to the economy and supply chains. It said cooperation could span projects in extraction, processing, refining and recycling.
Ottawa presence planned
The EIB said it has begun engaging with Canadian companies and public and private financial institutions to identify potential investment opportunities in critical raw materials since the Letter of Intent was signed in March.
It also plans to establish a presence in Ottawa to support that work.
Europe and Canada “have what each other needs”, with Canada offering resources and expertise and Europe offering investment, technology and a large market, EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer declared.
The agreement is intended to turn the partnership into investment in projects ranging from mining and processing to recycling, she added.
The Framework Agreement provides the legal basis for EIB financing and technical assistance for eligible projects in Canada, while individual financing operations will remain subject to the bank’s standard appraisal and approval procedures.
