Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Canada Day that Canada will join the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, describing the competition as 'the most gloriously over-the-top celebration of music on Earth.' The announcement, made during the national noon-hour ceremony at LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa, ends months of speculation on Parliament Hill.
Details of the Announcement
Carney stated that Canada's participation reflects the country's growing cultural influence. 'Canada is already the third-largest exporter of music on the planet,' he said, 'and we're about to get bigger.' The decision follows the 2025 federal budget, which allocated $150 million for CBC/Radio Canada to strengthen its public mandate and explore Eurovision participation.
Last week, CBC/Radio Canada's associate membership in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was upgraded to full member status, requiring the EBU to amend its rules to allow non-European nations as full members. Canada joins Israel and Australia as the third non-European country to participate, depending on geographic definitions—Cyprus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia also compete.
Strategic Shift Toward Europe
The Eurovision announcement is part of Carney's broader effort to reorient Canada's economic and foreign policy away from the United States and toward Europe. During a recent trip to Europe, Carney—a former governor of the Bank of England—stated that 'the next world order will likely be built out of Europe' and called Canada 'the most European of non-European countries.'
In May, Carney became the first non-European leader to attend the European Political Community Summit, advocating for closer EU collaboration amid shifting U.S. politics. Three months earlier, Canada joined the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative as the first non-European nation, opening European markets for Canada's defense industry.
Selection Process and Next Steps
Carney said Canadians will decide who represents the country at Eurovision, but no further details on the selection process were released. The next Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled for May 2027 in Bulgaria.
'Dozens of countries, hundreds of millions of viewers, one unforgettable show—it's about to get even better, even wilder because the world needs more Canada,' Carney said.
