DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council, in cooperation with the Gold Miners Association, organized a delegation visit to Toronto, Canada, with the participation of 150 business representatives on 1–4 March 2026 within the scope of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), the world's largest mining exploration and development convention.
As part of PDAC, the Türkiye–Canada Business Reception was organized by Turkish Airlines (THY), the national flag carrier, and DEİK. In addition, an Energy and Mining Roundtable Meeting and a Türkiye Session titled "The Strategic Role and Future of Mining in the Economy" were held with the participation of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar.
During the sessions where Türkiye's mining sector potential was discussed in detail, the latest developments in the sector and investment opportunities were presented directly to representatives of the Canadian business community by Minister Bayraktar.
STRONG INTEREST FROM CANADIAN BUSINESS LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS RECEPTION
The Türkiye–Canada Business Reception, organized by Turkish Airlines (THY) and DEİK, was held with the participation of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar. The reception, attended by representatives from Canada's mining, energy, and finance sectors, provided an important networking platform for strengthening economic relations between the two countries.
Speaking at the reception, Minister Bayraktar stated:
"We attach great importance to Türkiye–Canada relations and want to take them to a higher level. There are many areas where we can cooperate, particularly in energy, mining, and the defense industry. We aim to include nuclear energy in our energy mix, and nuclear energy constitutes one of the key agenda items of this visit. Canada is a mining country, and many Canadian companies are currently investing in Türkiye. We would like to see more cooperation between Turkish companies and Canadian firms."
TÜRKİYE–CANADA COOPERATION IN ENERGY AND MINING DISCUSSED
An Energy Roundtable Meeting was held in cooperation with the DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council, the Gold Miners Association, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was attended by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Ottawa Can Dizdar, DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council President Mehmet Yılmaz, Chairman of the Gold Miners Association Hasan Yücel, Vice President of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Louie DiPalma, and representatives from leading Canadian energy and mining companies.
Key topics discussed during the meeting included supply chain security in critical minerals, the role of mining in the energy transition, renewable energy investments and energy efficiency, opportunities for cooperation in nuclear energy, and financing and technology partnerships for large-scale projects.
Minister Bayraktar stated:
"Türkiye and Canada have a strong complementary relationship in energy and mining. We are ready to expand this potential into many areas ranging from long-term LNG trade and nuclear energy to joint operations in third countries extending from Africa to Central Asia."
Highlighting the positive momentum in relations between the two countries, Bayraktar noted that bilateral trade could be increased and emphasized the potential for cooperation in nuclear energy. He also pointed out that public companies in the oil and mining sectors operate internationally and added that Canada and Türkiye could collaborate in third countries as well.
INVESTMENT SIGNAL FROM TPAO AND ETİ MADEN TOWARDS CANADA
A Türkiye Special Session titled "The Strategic Role and Future of Mining in the Economy" was organized on the sidelines of the PDAC 2026 Convention in cooperation with the DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council, the Gold Miners Association, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The session was attended by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council President Mehmet Yılmaz, President of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Daniel Tisch, and Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Ottawa Can Dizdar.
During the session, which attracted strong participation from Canadian mining and energy companies as well as international investors and financial institutions, Minister Bayraktar delivered important messages regarding cooperation in mining between Türkiye and Canada.
Emphasizing that the global energy transition cannot be achieved without mining and minerals, Bayraktar said:
"The reason we are here today is precisely this: to build more cooperation and establish partnerships in mining by bringing expertise and experience to Türkiye."
He also noted that Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Eti Maden may consider investing in Canada, adding: "We are exploring these opportunities and alternatives."
DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council Chairperson Mehmet Yılmaz stated:
"When Türkiye's geological potential and strategic geographical advantages are combined with Canada's financial depth and advanced mining technologies, a strong global mining ecosystem based on mutual benefit emerges. We approach this partnership on a clear win–win basis. We see mining not only as a source of raw materials but as the heart of national security, industrial competitiveness, and sustainable development.
Reducing external dependency for our industry's growing raw material needs requires strongly supporting mining activities—particularly exploration—within Türkiye. In this context, we aim to attract venture capital and financial expertise from Canada to Türkiye to increase exploration and development investments, and to transform the dialogue between our countries into concrete, sustainable, and high value-added cooperation projects."
President of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Daniel Tisch, said:
"As the global economy undergoes transformation, Canada is also turning its perspective toward new horizons. We are entering a period where we diversify our trade routes and engage with new partners beyond our traditional trading partners. When Türkiye's unique potential and entrepreneurial spirit combine with Canada's innovative vision, the result will not only be commercial success but also a strong story of friendship. There is much we can achieve together, and the right time to turn this potential into reality is now."
Following the conversation with Minister Bayraktar, the program continued with the panel titled "The Strategic Role and Future of Mining in the Economy." Moderated by DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council Vice Chairperson Nursel Atar, the panel featured EPİAŞ CEO Taha Meli Arvas, Esan Eczacıbaşı CEO Emre Kayışoğlu, Capella Minerals President Eric Roth, and Eldorado Gold Director of Corporate Relations Chad Pederson.
During the session, participants discussed Türkiye's mining potential and investment environment, global value chains in critical minerals, the strategic role of minerals in the energy transition, and public–private partnership models.
The Toronto program organized by the DEİK/Türkiye–Canada Business Council on the occasion of PDAC 2026 made a significant contribution to strengthening cooperation between Türkiye and Canada, particularly in energy and mining, while also facilitating the evaluation of new investment opportunities and enhancing public–private sector dialogue.
The event sponsors were TÜPRAG Metal Madencilik, Öksüt Madencilik, and Demir Export.
