The time is right for Finland and Canada to increase their trade relationship, says Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development.

During Finland’s first ministerial visit to Canada since Prime Minister Mark Carney led the Liberals to re-election in the spring, Ville Tavio highlighted quantum technology and defence as two sectors where he would like to see the countries strengthen ties, especially given their shared Arctic fronts.

“Now that the NATO expenditure is growing higher, we are looking, over all, at the defence sector on possibilities to work more together,” Mr. Tavio said in an interview on Tuesday.

Mr. Tavio arrived in Toronto on Sunday alongside a delegation of Finnish companies with quantum technologies, including Nokia, QMill, IQM and Bluefors. On Tuesday, he travelled to Ottawa where he’s co-hosting an event about the partnership between Canada and Finland in quantum technology before heading back home.

“This is an icebreaking trip for quantum,” Mr. Tavio said, adding that he hoped to encourage more collaboration between the two countries’ leading companies in the field.

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Like Canada, Finland has released a quantum strategy laying out its plans for the sector’s growth over the next several years. In March, Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre and IQM unveiled a 50-qubit quantum computer, marking a milestone in quantum development in Europe.

While Mr. Tavio said he’s still unsure if quantum technologies will scale into a feasible business model, he noted they’re clearly integral to defence and, therefore, something allies should be aligned on.

“It’s very important that the Western countries work together on new technologies so that we could build them better and faster than the competitors,” he said.

In August, Finland and Canada deepened their existing allyship with a new strategic partnership on foreign and security policy, committing to working together to ensure Arctic perspectives remain top of mind in NATO discussions.

The announcement happened during Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s visit to Finland, where she participated in a steel-cutting ceremony for a Canadian icebreaker being partially built at a Canadian-owned shipyard there.

Icebreakers are the anchor of a 2024 pact between Canada, the U.S. and Finland to enhance industry collaboration through the construction of the mighty ships.

The agreement has already resulted in the promise of several new vessels, including up to 11 for the U.S. and two for Canada, and will likely lead to more. “It would be very pessimistic to think that we would only build a few numbers of icebreakers, so obviously there will be more orders,” Mr. Tavio said.

Finland is adept at defending its northern region, with nearly one-third of its land mass located above the Arctic Circle. The country joined NATO in 2023 but has spent much longer building up its military capabilities and training its conscripted forces in frigid Arctic landscapes.

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Mr. Tavio said Finland is currently focused on strengthening its Arctic air defences by prioritizing the use of drones and F-35 fighter jets.

“We are preparing to utilize the F-35s from the USA at the moment. So, the fighter capability, that’s a big portion of our defence,” he said.

The country is benefiting from Finnish President Alexander Stubb working well, and golfing, with U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite Mr. Trump’s global torrent of tariffs, Mr. Tavio said, if anything, Finland’s relationship with the U.S. has changed for the better lately.

“We have a great respect for President Trump, and we can see that our current President Stubb has been working closely with Trump trying to solve the Ukrainian war,” he said.

Still, Mr. Tavio said Finland is facing several threats, including a budget deficit and a consequent “significant economic crisis.” Russia is always a consideration for the country, given its proximity, but Mr. Tavio said it’s not necessarily a top issue.

“I wouldn’t say that we feel threatened by Russia. I think there are no signs of Europe going into a larger-scale war than what is happening in Ukraine right now. But that’s always possible and that’s why we maintain a strong defence force.”