Carney to host Canada’s premiers in Ottawa

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with Canada’s premiers in Ottawa later this month as global tensions rise and as trade talks with the U.S. remain stalled.

A government official confirms Carney will hold the meeting with provincial and territorial leaders on Jan. 29, after hosting a group dinner the evening before.

The first ministers have been holding regular virtual meetings to chart a co-ordinated approach to boost Canada’s economy and support industries hit hard by tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, including steel, aluminum, and softwood lumber.

The premiers have also been focused on next steps for major infrastructure projects and upcoming talks to review the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement.

Carney has confirmed Dominic LeBlanc, the minister in charge of Canada-U.S. relations, will meet with U.S. counterparts in mid-January to launch formal talks on CUSMA.

The first ministers’ meeting comes the day the Conservative Party of Canada begins its three-day political convention in Calgary, where Pierre Poilievre will face an automatic leadership review following last year’s election loss.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2026.

The Canadian Press