Canada and Germany Sign Security Information Agreement During Wadephul’s Ottawa Visit

Canada and Germany signed a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA) in Ottawa this week, during a visit by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. The agreement sets out a legal framework for the two governments to exchange classified information, intelligence, and technical data. It is the kind of arrangement typically required before two countries can move forward on sensitive defence and security cooperation.

Defence Minister Anita Anand framed the signing as a continuation of an established relationship rather than a new departure. “As longstanding allies and partners, Canada and Germany have a strong history of working together,” she said, adding that the agreement would let the two countries “strengthen cooperation on trade, on innovation and on advanced technologies,” and that it would help “strengthen Canada’s position as a trusted partner in strategic sectors.”

A commercial dimension: the submarine program
The timing is not incidental. Canadian companies are bidding on work connected to Germany’s involvement in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, which is expected to select a design based on the German and Norwegian-built TKMS Type 212CD. A GSOIA is a practical prerequisite for that kind of cross border defence industrial cooperation, since it governs how classified technical specifications can be shared with contractors on both sides.

Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, called the agreement “a compelling example of how Canada is deepening partnerships with like-minded allies” as the submarine program moves forward. Asked by reporters about the pricing and progress of the TKMS negotiations specifically, Anand declined to give details, saying “the negotiations are continuing now and they’re not continuing at the level of ministers,” leaving the commercial terms of the submarine deal unresolved for now even as the information sharing framework around it is now in place.

Ukraine and hybrid threats
The two ministers also discussed Russian hybrid activity in Europe, including the recent attack on Leipzig Airport, and Canada’s continued support for Ukraine. Germany has been pressing allies to treat sabotage and disruption campaigns linked to Russia as a shared security problem rather than a series of isolated national incidents, and the new information-sharing channel is expected to be one avenue for coordinating on that.

Trade and the EU associate status question
Beyond security, the visit touched on cooperation on critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and digital technology, and the two sides pointed to a planned Canada-Germany Joint Strategic Partnership as a broader framework for that work. Germany is Canada’s largest trading partner in the European Union; two-way trade between the countries was valued at roughly 34.3 billion Canadian dollars in 2025.

Wadephul connected the visit to Canada’s ongoing effort to secure some form of associate status with the European Union. “It’s not so much a question of terminology, but of ensuring that we can genuinely deepen our cooperation in key areas,” he said, pointing to the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), security and defence cooperation, and support for Ukraine as the areas where that deepening matters most. Officials on both sides marked the moment with a lighter touch as well: jerseys bearing the number 75, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and Germany, were presented during the visit.