The Italian industrial and commercial presence in Canada continues to grow stronger, with initiatives that highlight an increasing focus on the Canadian market, also in a medium- and long-term perspective.
In the last few days, the Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, together with the Consul General in Toronto, Luca Zelioli, took part in the inauguration of the new Andriani plant in London and the new Ferrero production line in Brantford, both located in Ontario.
For Andriani, this marks the official opening of the Apulian company’s first production facility in North America. The company specializes in gluten-free and plant-based products, with an initial investment of 34 million euros. The inaugural event was attended by numerous local authorities, including Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fedeli, and the Mayor of London, Josh Morgan.
Ferrero’s new investment strengthens its long-standing presence in Brantford (the Italian group has been active in Canada for half a century). The investment amounts to approximately 450 million Canadian dollars, and it marks the first time that a new product by the Alba-based group (the Ferrero Rocher Square) has been launched in Canada for global distribution. The ceremony was attended by many local political representatives, including Provincial MP Will Bouma and the Mayor of Brantford, Kevin Davis.
Ambassador Cattaneo emphasized that the investments by Andriani and Ferrero confirm Italy’s growing strategic commitment to strengthening commercial and industrial relations with Canada. These developments align with the bilateral Roadmap signed by Prime Minister Meloni and with the inclusion of Canada among the priority countries in the Export Plan established by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tajani.
Meanwhile, from October 20 to 23, the demo tour of Leonardo’s M-346 training jet took place in Ottawa, with Ambassador Cattaneo and Defence Attaché Gen. D.A. Davide Marzinotto in attendance. The event included visits by parliamentarians, senior military officials, and high-ranking Canadian civil servants, along with flight demonstrations. In his remarks, Ambassador Cattaneo underscored the strong cooperation that already exists between Italy and Canada in the aerospace and defence sectors—including through the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, Sardinia—and the opportunity to further strengthen this collaboration, particularly in the defense industry, in light of the investments stemming from the commitments made by both nations at the NATO Summit in The Hague.
