2026 Astrology Forecast for Canada and the U.S.

Happy vernal equinox and Aries ingress! This is a big day in astrology as it marks the astrological new year, when the Sun enters the sign of Aries.

The Aries ingress chart is used in astrological forecasting to predict what will come in the year ahead. While the positions of the planets are always the same no matter where you are on Earth, the Ascendant degree – and therefore the house structure – shifts by location.

Canada and the U.S. usually share very similar ingress charts due to the proximity of Ottawa and Washington, D.C. In 2026, both have a Gemini Ascendant (20° for Canada, 13° for the U.S.). The difference is subtle, especially using Whole Sign Houses as I do (though, there’s not much difference in Placidus either). So, we need to dig into the finer layers of planetary dignity, namely decans and terms, to distinguish how things will unfold differently for each nation.

This post will explore the astrological forecasts for both Canada and the U.S. in the context of the 2026 Aries ingress chart, which is in effect for about 6 months (due to a mutable sign on the Ascendant). For a more detailed look at the main astrological transits and themes this year, read my 2026 forecast here.

Mercury in the Maw of the Dragon

Gemini rising points to a year dominated by exchanges of all sorts: information, ideas, money and resources. The planetary ruler, Mercury, governs communication like news, podcasts, social media, printed books, newspapers, and everything in between. It also rules money exchanges and financial dealings. If you read it, speak it, or trade it, Mercury is there.

In this chart, Mercury is in very poor shape: in fall, conjunct Rahu (the North Node) and Mars, and stationing direct. This is about the worst possible condition that Mercury could be in, suggesting that while there’s a heightened emphasis on communication and commerce, it’s all stagnated, delayed and completely untrustworthy.

Perched right on Rahu, the insatiable, headless maw of the dragon, Mercury burns with hunger – more information, more trade – but nothing satisfies. Mars-Mercury is a classic trickster configuration in traditional astrology, underpinning this hunger with deception, scams, manipulation, thievery, lies and hidden agendas.

Differentiating through Dignity: Decans and Terms

The Ascendant in Canada’s Aries ingress chart is at 20° Gemini, which is a Sun-ruled decan and a Mars-ruled term. This brings leadership and conflict to the forefront of the year.

The Sun signifies the leader of the nation. Prime Minister Mark Carney is currently operating from a place of strength and is looking to shore up his power further. His Liberal party is close to reaching a majority through a series of defections (MPs from other parties crossing the floor to join the Liberals) and three upcoming byelections in April.

Mars ruling the Ascendant’s term relates back to the Mercury-Rahu-Mars conjunction: backroom dealings, manipulation, deception. The Liberals will likely get their majority, but not cleanly and certainly not transparently.

There’s a chance of a federal election though it might not be one that the Liberals are willing to take, especially if they get their thin majority after the byelections in April. Whether Canadians do go to the polls in 2026 or not, the ingress chart suggests we aren’t getting anything close to the full, true story with any of the government’s dealings.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. Aries ingress chart, the Ascendant at 13° Gemini is in a Mars-ruled decan and a Venus-ruled term. Mars has dignity by triplicity in Pisces, but is in a position of strength compared to Venus, who is in detriment.

Venus attempts to negotiate peace and provide temperance to Mars’ militarism, but she lacks the dignity to do so. Mars clearly dominates this chart and ensures ongoing aggression, conflict and militant action. The Mercury-Mars-Rahu signature shows up here as an insatiable drive for power and dominance.

Thus, the ingress chart suggests continued, possibly escalating, military activity throughout much the rest of the year.

Gemini in the National Charts

Gemini is the third house of Canada’s national chart, representing communication, infrastructure, neighbours and friendly nations.

We can expect focus on pipelines and other resource infrastructure, transportation, development in the Far North, and (continued) constant media attention on the U.S.

Canada will continue its diplomatic talks with its friends and neighbours. This includes the U.S. as well as China and other nations as well. Unfortunately, the poor condition of Mercury in the ingress chart suggests that these talks will be murky at best and full of outright lies and deception at worst.

In the U.S. Sibly chart, Gemini is the seventh house of foreign relations and open enemies.

With natal Mars and Uranus here, the symbolism is blunt and revolves around military conflict, instability, sudden violence. The U.S. will be deeply engaged in volatile foreign affairs, including but not limited to the war it has just started.

Uranus will also ingress Gemini a month after the Aries ingress chart, beginning its seven-year cycle through Gemini and marking the start of the U.S. Uranus return. I’ll be writing more about this transit specifically in the coming weeks.

To summarize: in 2026, the U.S. will be busy with the war in Iran and all sorts of other military-based foreign affairs, and Canada will be busy talking about it. Canada will also try to work on national projects and its dealings with other friendly nations.

However, keep in mind that a very trickster Mercury rules all of this and is not to be trusted. Combined with the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, there’s a lot of grand visions that aren’t grounded in reality.

What about all those Planets in Aries?

A major feature of the Aries ingress chart is the stellium of planets in Aries: Sun, Saturn, Neptune, Venus, and the Moon.

The sign of Aries is all about initiation and ignition. It is the first sign of the zodiac ruled by headstrong Mars. Aries is the fiery field of battle where emotions run hot and bold, and assertive actions are rewarded.

And what a crowded, confusing battlefield it is. The Sun is the last to join the horde of planets charging through the sign of the ram.

This signals acceleration across many different areas. There’s a surge of new activity, rapid developments and bold moves. The Sun’s arrival at the first degree of the zodiac activates the Saturn-Neptune conjunction that occurred here only one month ago. This is a long, 36-year cycle that will unfold over decades, with 2026 serving as the ignition switch for a new chain of historical events that reverberate backwards and forwards in time.

Aries in the National Charts

Aries is Canada’s first house, signifying the nation itself and its people. This ties in with the renewed Canadian nationalism that’s been happening over the last year, since Trump took office in 2025.

Neptune’s entrance into Aries triggers Canada’s Neptune return. This long-term cycle peaks with the exact conjunction in 2032, but we are getting a good taste now of what that will be about.

The Aries stellium also puts pressure on Canada’s land and natural resources, as it is square Canada’s natal fourth-house Sun-Uranus conjunction on the IC at 8 Cancer. Resource development, trade diversification, and infrastructure are key issues. Canada has abundant natural resource wealth, but struggles to mobilize it effectively – especially with continued tariff pressure from the U.S.

Uranus’ presence with the Sun in the natal chart suggests a leader willing to make sudden breakthroughs in this department, and this is going to be activated for the next couple of years by Saturn, which will try to put a damper on it, and then by Neptune, which brings grand but possibly deluded visions.

Aries is the fifth house in the U.S. chart, signifying children and youth. Given the explosion of broad global conflict, this raises concerns about the role that the nation’s young people will play in these wars. There have already been talks of conscription. It’s impossible to say if those are real threats or just fear-driven (very Saturn-Neptune); the chart reflects this uncertainty.

The Aries stellium is squaring the U.S.’s natal stellium in Cancer, which is the eighth house of death and death-related affairs, as well as foreign financial dealings. Financial motives are central, as always. One of the goals of its recent conflicts – Iran, Venezuela – is an attempt to benefit the U.S. on an economic and financial level. They have good support to do so, thanks to Jupiter’s presence here (both natally and by transit – the U.S. just had a Jupiter return last year). This won’t come without a lot of tension and upheaval, however.

Where Are We Headed?

The U.S. and Israel started the war in Iran three weeks ago, shortly after Mercury stationed retrograde. I know I’m not the only one hoping that the end of Mercury’s retrograde will bring an end to the conflict. It would certainly fit the astrology for the leaders to go, “Oops, actually – nevermind.”

However, the war wasn’t signified by this Mercury retrograde alone. A humble Mercury retrograde brings confusion and disruption to communications and technology matters, but it takes a lot more to bring war – like the generational transit of Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries.

It’s highly unlikely that the war will suddenly end as Mercury stations direct. Rather, Mercury’s position in the Aries ingress chart of 2026 suggests that he will act as the messenger for the story of this war, and for all the other stories of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, as he travels through the sky this year.

It’s very unfortunate that this messenger is beleaguered and deeply untrustworthy. He delivers news, narratives and opinions, sure – but with a wallop of confusion and misinformation.

TL;DR

2026 is defined by action, conflict and relentless communication with very little clarity. The U.S. drives events through force; Canada responds through dialogue. Behind it all, trickster Mercury ensures that none of these actions or words can be trusted.

This is a year that will be argued about in the history books for decades to come. You’re living in ground zero of a major chapter. But hey – just think of all the great, firsthand stories you’ll get to tell your grandchildren one day.

I want to finish this piece with a list of key dates based on Mercury’s movements, when I think we’ll get some big pieces of information and/or events that continue the story laid out in the Aries ingress chart.

• April 9 at 22 Pisces – the degree that Mercury stationed retrograde on February 26
  • News about what unfolded then, providing additional context and clarity.
    
• April 14 at 0 Aries – the degree of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction on February 20 and the Aries ingress on March 20
  • Further news about the events related to that conjunction, including but not limited to the war in Iran, the Epstein files, UAP disclosure, instability in financial markets, and other Saturn-Neptune events that are unfolding as we speak.
    
• April 16 at 2 Aries – conjunction with Neptune
  • Mercury offers messages of truth piercing the fog of war, but also possibly thickening it in other directions.
  • What will be Neptune’s new dream for the next 14 years that it is in Aries?
    
• April 20 at 7 Aries – conjunction with Saturn; and 8 Aries – conjunction with Mars
  • This day brings whiplash: Saturn slams things to a halt and then Mars immediately escalates things to action.
  • The day may start with one message, but will end with a very different one.
  • Simultaneous cessation and escalation.
    
• May 14 at 23 Taurus – conjunction with the Sun
  • Piercing insights of sudden clarity and truth arriving amidst all the confusion. Events that occurred back in February and March may suddenly come into focus in a new way.
    
• May 17 at 1 Gemini – conjunction with Uranus
  • Revelations about Uranus’ next 7 years in Gemini and what that transit, especially the Uranus-Pluto trine, will bring.
  • New technology and other breakthroughs and innovations – possibly war-related, but not limited to this. New ways of communicating.
    
• May 23 at 13 Gemini – the Ascendant of the US Aries Ingress chart
  • Stories related to the U.S. in particular.
    
• May 26 at 20 Gemini – the Ascendant of the Canada Aries Ingress chart
  • Stories about Canada in particular. The federal government calling an election, perhaps? New trade deal announcements? Scandals being uncovered?