Canada: Inward/ Foreign Investment

Canada continues to seek foreign investment and remains an attractive destination for international investors. Foreign investors should assess the potential application of the Investment Canada Act early in the transaction-planning process, particularly where the Canadian business operates in a sensitive sector or possesses valuable technology, infrastructure or data.

Canada's approach to Chinese investment in the mining sector may be shifting following the release of the Canada–China Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap in January 2026. While recent years have seen significant barriers to Chinese investment in critical minerals, the new roadmap suggests a more nuanced stance that could open opportunities in less strategically sensitive mining segments such as base and precious metals.

As artificial intelligence adoption surges across Canadian enterprises—from 6.1% to 19.2% in just two years—the infrastructure demands are creating unprecedented opportunities in AI data centre development. Meta's $13-billion Alberta facility signals Canada's emergence as a major player, but what legal and commercial complexities must lenders, sponsors and investors navigate in this capital-intensive asset class?

On September 13–15, 2026, the Government of Canada hosted its inaugural Canada Investment Summit, convening global business leaders, institutional investors and senior government officials to showcase Canada as a premier destination for foreign direct investment. It marks the next step in federal economic policy — one that places investment, productivity and business competitiveness at the centre of Canada's agenda. The Summit was co-led by the two largest federal pension funds in Canada.

Canada has announced plans to attract private investment through long-term concessions to operate its four largest airports: Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver International, Montréal-Trudeau, and Calgary International. The federal government will retain ownership of the underlying airport land and assets while seeking tens of billions of dollars in private capital to be reinvested in regional airports and local transport infrastructure. Key details regarding the scope of private operational involvement, award

The Canada Investment Summit generated nearly $500 billion in investment commitments, but the critical challenge now lies in converting this momentum into active development. This analysis examines the legal, commercial and strategic conditions required to move investment commitments toward execution, exploring how economic sovereignty, project readiness and sector-specific opportunities will shape Canada's path from capital allocation to operational delivery.

Le gouvernement fédéral canadien intensifie son examen des investissements étrangers sous l'angle de la sécurité nationale, transformant la Loi sur Investissement Canada en un régime réglementaire de plus en plus complexe.

Big plays, bright lights and billion-dollar contracts are all part of the appeal of professional sports, but behind the excitement of the games themselves lie intriguing investment opportunities. Analysts note that investments in sports franchises “consistently outperform traditional asset classes like equity, fixed income and commodities.”

Canada offers a mature infrastructure investment market supported by public funding, tax incentives, and established public-private partnerships, yet investors must navigate an increasingly complex regulatory framework spanning foreign investment review, competition law, national security screening, and sector-specific approvals.