Carney courts global investors at Toronto summit as US trade rift deepens

September 14, 2026 at 04:03 AM1 min

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hosts more than 100 global investors overseeing over C$100tn in assets at a two-day summit in Toronto. The event aims to attract investment in energy, AI, defence, and infrastructure as Canada seeks to reduce reliance on the United States. The summit follows Carney's declaration that the century-old economic partnership with Washington is over.

Key Facts

The Toronto summit gathers more than 100 global investors managing over C$100tn ($72tn) in assets.
Guests include BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone president Jon Gray, and sovereign wealth funds from the UAE and Norway.
Carney declared the Canada-US relationship 'over' 18 months ago amid tariff disputes and Trump's '51st state' remarks.
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board co-hosts the summit and warns that investible opportunity scale is Canada's greatest weakness.

Summit Agenda

Carney will pitch Canada's energy and resource sectors, political stability, and investment opportunities in AI, defence, transportation, and infrastructure. The event is described as a 'first of its kind' investment summit, held at a luxury hotel in Toronto on Monday and Tuesday. The strategy aims to build a 'more independent, more resilient economy' following the tariff war with the US.

Investor Challenges

Canada faces lengthy project approval processes that may deter investors, according to the report by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Naomi Powell, director of the CPP Investments Insight Institute, said global capital seeks opportunity but opportunity alone does not make a market investible. Carney, a former central banker, leverages personal relationships with global business leaders, with many invitations issued personally.