FDI in Canada

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a key strategic lever for Canada’s economic development, helping to spur innovation and creating highly skilled and well-paying jobs in communities across the country. Increasingly, global investors look not only to invest, but to put down roots in Canadian communities. 

Thanks to its vast territory, abundant resources and prosocial values, combined with its remarkable quality of life and highly skilled workforce, Canada will increasingly become the go-to destination for FDI in the new world economy.

We Find the Best to Invest

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Finding the best to invest: FDI Report 2020

Get the facts about FDI in Canada in 2020 – and meet some of the people and companies behind the numbers.

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Invest in Canada is the country’s global investment attraction and promotion agency. We seek out the most committed and best qualified sources of FDI to invest here at home. In so doing, we help build a prosperous, sustainable economy for our communities, our country and our world.

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Community

Invest in Canada seeks to attract high quality, community focused investments into Canada that deliver long-term, sustainable returns, while remaining true to our fundamental values.

Innovation

Canada’s economy relies on the innovation, new ideas and advanced technologies that FDI brings, in turn generating new opportunities for Canadians.

Environment & Sustainability

FDI can help Canada achieve its climate goals by introducing innovative new technologies and practices. FDI spurs the growth of green industries, creating new supply chains that will help Canada play a lead role in the fight against climate change.

FDI Facts and Figures

As 2021 unfolded, Canada’s annual foreign direct investments not only picked back up, but reached their highest levels in 15 years, with a yearly total of $74.8 billion!  

These numbers are encouraging for Canadians as they signal a vital boost to the economy and the creation of quality jobs. They are also a prime example that finding the best companies to invest here at home has a positive impact on our communities.  

A 15-year high for FDI into Canada

Global companies invested $74.8 billion in Canada in 2021, bringing foreign direct investment (FDI) to the highest annual total since 2007, a 50% increase from the historical annual average since 2011.

Different types of FDI, but one stand outs

The largest portion of FDI by type for 2021 was Reinvested Earnings, meaning companies are reinjecting their capital into Canada and signaling their desire to put roots down here in support of our economy and our communities. 

Of many industries, two top the list in 2021

Manufacturing was the top industry benefitting from FDI, outperforming its historical annual average by 51% and reaching $19.3 billion. Energy and Mining came in second and outpaced its historical average by 70%, reaching $16.2 billion.  

Leading source countries for FDI

In 2021, Invest in Canada directly supported projects from all over the world. Top investor countries included the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For each dollar of GDP generated in the Canadian economy last year, Canada attracted nearly US$0.67 of FDI, up from US$0.61 in 2019.

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Read the FDI Report 2020

Find out more about how Canada has performed on the world stage, and how FDI is helping to create jobs and foster innovation in Canadian communities.

Key Industries

From forestry and agriculture to energy and manufacturing, FDI can help spur growth in the industries that build a strong Canadian economy by supporting the development of innovative and sustainable technologies, practices and products.

FDI will help Canada bring new solutions to the world, such as batteries and electric vehicles, new plant-based foods and carbon-capture technology, while creating highly skilled jobs here at home.

Tesla charging station
  • Tech
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Natural Resources
  • Entertainment and Media
  • Agribusiness
  • Cleantech
  • Life Sciences
  • Batteries and Electric Vehicles

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