The Role of Canada’s Major Cities in Attracting Foreign Direct Investment

Given the key role that Canada’s Consider Canada City Alliance (CCCA) cities play in attracting foreign direct investment, a coordinated CCCA effort to attract FDI would benefit not only its members, but Canada as a whole.

Document Highlights

• Canada’s CCCA cities play a key role in attracting inward foreign direct investment (FDI).
• Although most analysis of FDI is conducted at the national level, the lion’s share of global investment activity flows through the world’s cities.
• Canada’s cities deserve a seat at the table with their national and provincial counterparts when policies and strategies to attract FDI are being developed, as both city-level economic development efforts and provincial and national investment promotion activities are needed.
• To attract more FDI, improvements in physical infrastructure and the labour market could be achieved by investing in cities and in the people who live and work there.
• A coordinated CCCA effort to attract FDI would benefit not only its members, but Canada as a whole.