investment in Canada

The stock of foreign direct investment in Canada has more than tripled since 1990. Despite the rapid growth, today’s inward investment profile looks slightly different than it did 20 years ago, at least insofar as source regions are concerned. For example, the proportion of the total accounted for by Europe has steadly increased from 28% to 31%. The United States’ share is decreasing, from 64% to 55%, while Asia’s share has increased slightly from 6% to 8%. In contrast to the outward investment picture, where Other North America represents about 19% of total investment stocks in 2010, inward investment from Other North America accounts for only 0.9% of the total. However, there is an important similarity between the inward and outward stocks – Barbados and Bermuda are Canada’s two largest source countries in Other North America, with both accounting for much larger investments than does Mexico.

Adapted from the Statistics Canada CANSIM database http://cansim2.statcan.gc.ca , CANSIM Table 376-0051, October 6, 2011; the Statistics Canada Website on the National Economic Accounts module, http://cansim2.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm?Lang=E&RootDir=CII/&ARRAY_VREL=3760051&PortalID=3764&ResultTemplate=V3764 , October 6, 2011; 1980 figures are adapted from Statistics Canada, Canada’s International Investment Position, 2001, Catalogue No. 67-202-XIB 2001000 2001 March 27, 2002.

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