Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and other ministers will greet U.S. President Joe Biden when he lands in Ottawa this evening for his first official visit since winning the presidency in 2020.

Canada is normally one of the first foreign trips for a new president, but Biden's visit had been delayed, in part due to COVID-19. He will be in Ottawa until Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday that the two will discuss many subjects.

"Of course, we'll talk about China but the centre of our conversations will be about jobs and growth, critical minerals and fighting climate change, and continuing to build an economy across the continent that works for all citizens," he said.

Another top issue will be modernizing NORAD, the shared continental air defence network, which is back in the spotlight after the appearance of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that hovered over Canada and the U.S. last month.

Both the U.S. and Canada have committed to updating and strengthening NORAD over the coming years, as well as developing new tools to detect and defend against new threats like the surveillance balloon.

Both leaders are also likely to discuss the irregular migrant crossings at Roxham Road at the Quebec-New York border. Trudeau said the government is working with the U.S. to "fix the situation" at the crossing and that negotiations are ongoing.

Biden last visited Canada in December 2016, when he was vice president in the Obama administration.

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