Carney launches $1-trillion investment pitch to global capital

Prime Minister Mark Carney has launched a major effort to attract global capital to Canada, hosting hundreds of executives and institutional investors at the country’s first Canada Investment Summit in Toronto. The two-day gathering is part of the federal government’s plan to catalyze $1 trillion in total investment over the next five years. Approximately 300 executives overseeing more than US$120 trillion in assets are expected to participate.

Ottawa is promoting more than 160 potential investments spanning energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, defence, data centres and emerging technologies. Among the Western Canadian opportunities identified is a proposed $900-million high-speed transportation system between Calgary and Edmonton. The federal government is separately advancing 27 nation-building initiatives through its Major Projects Office, representing a projected $192 billion in investment and more than 330,000 jobs.

The summit is also part of Carney’s response to Canada’s worsening trade relationship with the United States. His government is presenting Canada as a stable alternative for investors seeking access to natural resources, a highly educated workforce and trade agreements covering 1.5 billion consumers. The real test, however, will be whether the meetings produce final investment decisions and construction, with organizers cautioning that meaningful results may take 12 to 18 months to emerge.