Diana Fox Carney appointed as Canada’s first Ocean Envoy

Diana Fox Carney has been appointed as Canada’s first Ocean Envoy and will chair the 12th Our Ocean Conference, scheduled to take place in Halifax in 2027. The announcement was made by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson on September 16, 2026.

The newly created role is a volunteer and non-remunerated position. In her capacity, Fox Carney is expected to integrate ocean protection, climate action, indigenous leadership, economic resilience, and maritime security. The appointment comes as Canada prepares to host the Our Ocean Conference, an initiative that has facilitated over 3,200 voluntary commitments valued at approximately 243 billion CAD since its inception in 2014.

Fox Carney, an economist with academic backgrounds from Oxford and the University of Pennsylvania, has previously worked across the private sector and non-profit organizations in Africa, Europe, and North America. This marks her first official government role since her husband, Mark Carney, became Prime Minister.