Investment
Enhancing Canada's investment opportunities abroad is essential
to Canada's ongoing international competitiveness. Foreign investment
links Canadian companies, consumers and workers to the new knowledge
based global economy. It enhances Canada's competitiveness by revitalizing
domestic industry and increasing the flow of goods and services
between Canada and its trading partners. Foreign investment not
only produces jobs, but introduces new technology, new management
techniques and new market access. Canada has a clear interest in
providing for stability, transparency, predictability, non-discrimination
and protection for Canadian companies and individuals that invest
abroad, as well as for foreign investors wishing to invest in Canada.
Good investment rules make for a positive economic climate, which
favours growth and jobs. Canada has, therefore, consistently supported
a strong, rules-based system, multilaterally, regionally and bilaterally.
The Government is also seeking information on the country-specific
barriers and problems that Canadians are experiencing when investing
internationally, and on any other aspects of investment policy at
home or abroad that you feel require special attention.
Report a Trade
and Investment Barrier
If you have experienced a trade or investment barrier when trying
to do business abroad please tell us about it by completing our
Trade and Investment Barrier
Feedback form.
Canada's
Position in WTO and FTAA Negotiations
World Trade Organization
(WTO)
At Doha, Ministers recognized the importance of a multilateral
framework to secure transparent, stable and predictable conditions
for investment, and agreed to launch investment negotiations after
the next WTO Ministerial conditional upon an agreement on negotiating
modalities. Paragraphs 20-22 of the Doha Declaration set out the
mandate for the WTO Working Group on the Relationship Between Trade
and Investment (WGTI). The WGTI was established by Ministers during
the WTO Ministerial held in Singapore in 1996. It is for this reason
that the subject of investment in the WTO context is commonly referred
to under the rubric of Singapore Issues. The other three areas that
fall under this heading are competition policy, transparency in
government procurement and trade facilitation.
Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA)
The Heads of State and Governments of the 34 democracies in the
Americas, including Canada, have agreed to build a Free Trade Area
of the Americas, or FTAA, in which barriers to trade and investment
will be progressively eliminated. Through the FTAA talks, Canada
seeks to negotiate investment obligations that will serve Canadian
interests by providing for stability, transparency, predictability,
non-discrimination and protection for our companies and individuals
that invest abroad, while allowing for flexibility in areas of key
domestic sensitivity.
North American Free Trade Agreement - Chapter
11
Chapter 11 is the investment component of the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which came into force in 1994. It establishes
a framework of rules and disciplines that provides investors from
NAFTA countries with a predictable, rules-based investment climate,
as well as dispute settlement procedures which are designed to provide
timely recourse to an impartial tribunal.
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
The CCFTA entered into force on July 7, 1997. Chile was Canada's
first bilateral free trade partner in the Americas outside of NAFTA
and Canada was also the first G-7 country to sign a free trade agreement
with Chile. Since 1997 economic relations between the two countries
have grown immensely and Canada has become the second largest investor
in Chile.
Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion
Agreements (FIPA)
A FIPA is a bilateral reciprocal agreement aimed at protecting
and promoting foreign investment through legally-binding rights
and obligations. FIPAs provide important disciplines that help open
international markets and make them more secure for Canadian investors.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation
& Development (OECD)
The OECD has a mandate to promote cooperation among its members
in the area of international investment. It does this by developing
and monitoring rules to promote international cooperation and through
consultations with representatives of non-member economies, business,
labour and other groups. It also undertakes analytical work concerning
investment trends and policies.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC)
The activities of APEC's committees and working groups aim to promote
regional economic growth and cooperation and build an Asia-Pacific
community. APEC groups are working to achieve trade and investment
liberalization, the reduction and removal of formal barriers to
trade, such as tariffs, and restrictions on foreign investment.
United Nations Commission on
Trade & Development (UNCTAD)
On investment, UNCTAD's mandate is to promote understanding on
investment, enterprise development and technological capacity building
issues, and assists governments to formulate and carry out policies,
strategies and programmes in these areas.
Related Links
Research and Statistics
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