Joe Biden's visit to Canada confirmed, as feds agree to buy U.S. missile defence system for Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden will be making an official visit to Canada in March, his first trip to this country since becoming president in January 2021. News of the trip came alongside an announcement that Canada will be buying a U.S. missile defence system for Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden will be making an official visit to Canada in March, his first trip to this country since becoming president in January 2021.

News of the trip— confirmed by officials on both sides of the border on Tuesday—came alongside an announcement that Canada will be buying a U.S. missile defence system for Ukraine.

These developments stem from a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Biden at the North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico City.

During that meeting, according to a readout from the Prime Minister's Office, Trudeau invited Biden to Canada. The pair of world leaders also spoke about cross-border trade, competitiveness and supply chains.

While Biden's visit has been delayed in part by COVID-19 travel restrictions, the trip marks a return to a customary practice that newly-elected U.S. presidents make a visit north early in their term.

Former U.S. president Donald Trump did not make an official visit to Canada during his time in the White House, however he did come for a brief but memorable G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Que. in 2018.

Biden was last in Ottawa on official business when he was the guest of honour at a state dinner in December 2016 -- just weeks before Trump took office -- where he exclaimed, "Vive le Canada."