The Swedish royal family is making a rare, three-day state visit to Canada this week, accompanied by senior government ministers and representatives from dozens of Swedish companies. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will be in Ottawa and Montreal from Tuesday to Thursday — their first visit to Canada since 2006, when Stephen Harper was prime minister.
During the visit, Canada and Sweden are expected to launch a new strategic partnership aimed at deepening cooperation in both trade and defence. Sweden’s Industry Minister Ebba Busch and Defence Minister Pal Jonson are part of the official delegation, underscoring the importance both countries are placing on advancing their bilateral relationship. Sweden formally joined NATO last year, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has encouraged closer ties with fellow alliance members like Canada.
The trip comes at a pivotal moment, as Swedish aerospace and defence giant Saab weighs whether to begin assembling its Gripen fighter jets in Canada. Saab CEO Micael Johansson said last week that the company is in discussions with the federal government and Bombardier about manufacturing the aircraft domestically — a move that could create thousands of Canadian jobs.
Bombardier confirmed the talks, saying it is open to contributing local expertise should Ottawa choose to pursue the Gripen option. Saab and Bombardier already collaborate on the Global Eye surveillance aircraft, which is built in Canada before its advanced sensor systems are installed in Sweden. Saab has recently signalled that it wants more of that work done on Canadian soil.
Saab previously proposed building and maintaining Gripens in Canada when the federal government was seeking a replacement for the aging CF-18 fleet. Although the company promised major industrial benefits and new aerospace R&D centres, Ottawa ultimately chose to procure 88 F-35 stealth fighters from U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
That decision is now under review. After taking office in March, Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a reassessment of the F-35 program amid heightened tensions with the U.S. over President Donald Trump’s tariff measures. Canada has so far committed to only 16 F-35s, and the details of the review have not been made public.
The Gripen is a rugged, fourth-generation combat aircraft built to confront Russian jets and capable of taking off from roadways. The F-35, meanwhile, is a more advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for electronic warfare, with long-term plans for integration with drone fleets. Lockheed Martin highlights that each F-35 contains millions of dollars’ worth of Canadian-made components, including the jet’s horizontal tail from Winnipeg, sensor systems from Ottawa, and stealth panels manufactured in Nova Scotia.
Rideau Hall confirmed that Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will not greet the Swedish royals due to ongoing recovery from a respiratory virus. She also missed last week’s Remembrance Day ceremony and remains at home recuperating. Chief Justice Richard Wagner will continue representing the Crown during her absence, including throughout the Swedish state visit.
