Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is urging global investors to increase their holdings in Canada by 1 percent as a strategic response to rising uncertainties in the United States under President Donald Trump. Speaking at an investor summit in Toronto this week, Carney outlined a plan to attract $1 trillion in new capital to bolster Canadian economic growth, create jobs, and secure long-term prosperity amid escalating trade tensions with the U.S.

The summit, which convenes over 200 leading financial executives managing a combined portfolio valued at approximately C$120 trillion (US$87 trillion), aims to position Canada as a stable and attractive alternative for investment. Canada’s initiatives span infrastructure projects such as pipelines, nuclear energy facilities, mining operations, railways, ports, and artificial intelligence data centers.

Deborah Orida, CEO of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, managing C$320.6 billion in assets, noted that international investors have been relatively underexposed to Canada compared to other markets. Orida indicated plans to increase investments in Canada by 30 to 40 percent in the coming years, expecting the total to surpass C$100 billion.

Carney’s outreach extends beyond traditional Western financiers, targeting entities like the African Dangote Group and China Investment Corporation, as relations with the United States deteriorate. The prime minister has framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to forge alliances among “middle powers,” positioning Canada away from a US-centered global economic order experiencing what he called a “rupture, not a transition.” This shift followed the breakdown of recent trade negotiations with Washington.

Amid these efforts, Canadian authorities highlight the country’s triple-A credit rating as a hallmark of financial stability and a buffer against geopolitical volatility linked to U.S. policy unpredictability. However, some business leaders stress the importance of domestic reforms to fully capitalize on global investor interest. David Rawlings, CEO of JPMorgan Canada, emphasized the need for lower taxes, faster regulatory approvals, and clearer policy environments to attract more capital.

Since assuming leadership, Carney has championed an ambitious infrastructure agenda, traveling internationally to secure investment commitments. Stuart Waugh, managing partner at Northleaf Capital Partners, which oversees more than C$32 billion, said government initiatives have created significant opportunities, suggesting that incremental increases in investment allocations could have substantial effects without requiring dramatic shifts in global portfolios.

Concerns over foreign ownership of critical Canadian infrastructure have been raised by analysts such as Vass Bednar of the Canadian Shield Institute. She warned that unchecked foreign acquisitions could have consequences for pricing, supply chains, and national economic resilience.

Carney is also promoting Canada’s potential as an “energy superpower,” highlighting the country’s extensive oil and gas reserves and opportunities to serve Asian and European markets. The fossil fuel sector, however, calls for a more competitive tax environment and streamlined, predictable regulatory processes to support this ambition.

Another major domestic hurdle remains internal trade barriers, which the International Monetary Fund estimated to carry costs equivalent to a 9 percent tariff. Advocates for economic reform argue that Canada must move beyond relying on its reputation for stability and responsibility to cultivate a more dynamic and competitive market environment.

Dan Debow, a technology entrepreneur and leader of the advocacy group Build Canada, underscored the importance of private sector innovation and the need for government actions to foster competitiveness. “Our story of being a nice, stable, responsible country, that is not enough,” Debow said. He called for embracing “creative destruction” to adapt to today’s fast-changing economic landscape.