Initiatives

Canada is at a critical moment. We face a hotter, more conflict-prone world and shifting trade dynamics. To remain resilient, we need a bold global agenda that integrates aid, trade, and impact investing — strengthening Canada’s ties with the Global South, creating new opportunities for Canadian investors and entrepreneurs, and delivering measurable social, environmental, and economic outcomes.

We are proposing an integrated global aid and trade strategy that will generate positive social, environmental and economic outcomes, strengthen trade and connections between Canada and the Global South, create new opportunities for Canadian investors, entrepreneurs and funds, and create leverage for Canada’s investment in the Global South. 

Ten Key Actions

To integrate impact investing into Canada’s foreign affairs and development agenda, we propose ten linked actions that build enabling systems, de-risk capital and connect Canadian and Global South ecosystems.

1. Support development and capitalization of national or regional wholesalers.

2. Support development and issuance of diaspora bonds.

3. Dedicate new concessionary capital to de-risk and catalyze private investment.

4. Make Canada a destination to domicile private impact products from the Global South.

5. Support a Canadian platform to aggregate and standardize emerging-market impact products.

6. Create a global market-building program including technical assistance and grants for national and regional ecosystems.

7. Support intermediary education and capacity building.

8. Support investor education and exchanges linking Canadian and local investors.

9. Provide soft-landing supports for intermediaries, investors and entrepreneurs operating between Canada and target markets.

10. Formalize internal and external partnerships to drive this new agenda.

Summary Ask

We are seeking a phased, performance-managed investment package that can be aligned to Budget 2026 and beyond:

• Catalytic Capital Facility to finance wholesalers, diaspora bonds, intermediary investments for $500 million over five years.

• Capital Markets Attraction initiative for $2–4 million over three years.

• Global Impact Investing Platform build for $2 million over two years.

• Ecosystem Market Building Program for $50 million over five years.

• Exchange and Soft Landing Program for $6–10 million over three years.

Total expected federal commitment averages about $115 million per year across three to five years (front-loaded). A total envelope of $550 million could mobilize roughly $1.5–2.5 billion in private capital, with recycling potential from the Catalytic Facility.

See how these ideas are shaping near-term policy recommendations and read our Pre-Budget Submission.