Language selection

Search

Canada and the G7

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.

Overview

Overview of Canada and the G7.

History and membership

History of the G7 and its membership.

Declarations and statements

Declarations, statements and announcements from our diplomatic representatives of the G7.

News

Official Government of Canada news items to the G7.

Overview

The G7 is a forum designed for frank and open discussion between leaders, ministers and policy-makers. As a member of the G7, Canada plays a leading role on the international stage and is able to advance domestic and international priorities.

The G7 provides global leadership and serves as a powerful catalyst on issues that are later taken up by other fora with broader global and regional membership. The G7 brings together the world’s advanced economies to influence global trends and tackle pervasive and crosscutting issues, as well as emergent global crises. The G7 has strengthened international economic and security policies, advanced discussion of global issues including climate change and gender equality, brought donors together and supported disarmament programs. Most recently, the G7 has worked to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

At the G7, Canada has advanced its domestic and international priorities, including gender equality, peace and security, climate change and building a sustainable global economy. Transparent and inclusive engagement with Canadian and international stakeholders has helped Canada to deliver on priorities that are important to Canadians.

The role as host, also known as the G7 presidency, rotates annually among member countries in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada. The European Union is not part of the rotation.

Canada has hosted six G7 summits to date:

  • Charlevoix, Quebec (2018)
  • Muskoka, Ontario (2010)
  • Kananaskis, Alberta (2002)
  • Halifax, Nova Scotia (1995)
  • Toronto, Ontario (1988)
  • Ottawa-Montebello, Ontario-Quebec (1981)

Canada will next host the G7 in 2025.

Canada, during its G7 presidencies, has demonstrated global leadership by developing innovative initiatives to address global security and economic crises, health issues, and development challenges, while also inspiring progress on ambitious priorities such as democracy, cyber security, oceans, and women and girls’ education in crisis situations. The G7 amplifies Canadian efforts, such as the historic G7 investment of nearly $3.8 billion in education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations made during the 2018 Charlevoix G7 Summit.

Gender Equality Advisory Council

In its role as G7 president in 2018, Canada created the first G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council. The Council was mandated to promote a transformative G7 agenda, and to support leaders and ministers in ensuring that gender equality and gender-based analysis were integrated across all themes, activities and outcomes of Canada’s G7 presidency.

The Council carried out its mandate by advising the G7 and recommending concrete actions to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment across all areas of the G7’s work. Council members participated in each of the G7 ministerial meetings, sharing their perspectives and recommendations with all G7 delegations. G7 members have subsequently agreed to make the Gender Equality Advisory Council a standing feature of all future G7 presidencies.

History and membership

In 1976, Canada joined the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States to discuss coordinated responses to global crises, and in 1977 the European Union was invited to attend. The G7 is not based on a treaty and has no permanent secretariat. The group’s presidency rotates annually among the seven member countries. It is the presidency’s prerogative to define a set of priorities, in consultation with other members, for the year ahead and that country is responsible for hosting and organizing the annual Leaders’ Summit. Leaders traditionally release a final statement or communiqué summarizing agreed initiatives and policy advancements.

A number of ministerial-level meetings may also take place during the year; the number and choice of ministerial meetings is the prerogative of the G7 presidency. Ministerial meetings also typically culminate in ministerial communiqués or joint plans of action.

In addition, arms-length, civil society-led bodies called the G7 engagement groups typically provide recommendations to the G7 on an annual basis. These groups of stakeholders often hold their own summits in the months leading up to the G7 Summit. These engagement groups include the:

  • Business 7 (B7)
  • Civil Society 7 (C7)
  • Labour 7 (L7)
  • Science 7 (S7)
  • Think Tank 7 (T7)
  • Women 7 (W7)
  • Youth 7 (Y7)

Although G7 Summits and ministerial meetings are highlights of any G7 presidency, the G7 is active year-round. G7 Leaders and Ministers convene additional meetings as needed to address emergent global crises or other acute international challenges. G7 expert and working groups meet throughout the year, often to move forward commitments made at high-level G7 meetings. Canadian officials also engage civil society stakeholders year-round in order to inform and support Canada’s participation in the G7.

Declarations and statements

List of declarations, statements and announcements from our diplomatic representatives of the G7.

All declarations and statements

News

List of official Government of Canada news items to the G7.

All news

Report a problem on this page
Please select all that apply:

Thank you for your help!

You will not receive a reply. For enquiries, please contact us.

Date Modified: