TORONTO – Canada has flown under the radar of major international investors in recent years, but that is changing as Ottawa and the provinces talk about plans for new investments, the head of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board said Thursday.
“I have been receiving more calls from these people expressing an interest in Canada that I have never heard before in my time here at CPP Investments,” Graham said.
“So Canada is coming back on the radar of the investment community, and they’re curious. And they’re curious about Canada.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has been working around the globe to highlight Canada as a destination for foreign investment as the government seeks to strengthen the economy in the face of U.S. tariffs that have upended relations with the country’s largest trading partner.
Graham said conversations from Ottawa and the provinces are promising.
“The ambition that we’re hearing from the provinces and the federal government, we think, is really interesting in that it’s going to create a whole range of opportunities that, you know, investors haven’t had access to in the past,” he said.
However, Graham said it would take work to convert foreign investor curiosity into direct investment.
CPP Investments and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board are working with the federal government to hold an investment conference in September to highlight the opportunities here. The summit is expected to attract some of the world’s largest investors as well as CEOs and other executives.
Ottawa also announced the Canada Strong Fund, a new sovereign wealth fund designed to spur investment in major infrastructure projects.
Carney said the government is open to selling public assets if the proceeds can help finance new infrastructure.
Both November’s federal budget and April’s spring economic statement mention examining new ownership options for the state’s federally owned airports.
Graham said CPP Investments has an affinity for large, long-term assets such as infrastructure and will be interested in exploring any opportunities that arise.
The comments came as CPP Investments reported a return of 7.8 percent for its fiscal 2026 as its net assets rose to $793.3 billion as of March 31, up from $714.4 billion at the end of fiscal 2025.
The increase for the year included $56.9 billion in net income and $22.0 billion in net transfers from the Canada Pension Plan.
Its holdings in public stocks contributed to earnings, while its real assets, particularly energy and infrastructure assets, also contributed to gains.
The annual results lagged those of the fund’s benchmark portfolio, which returned 13.2 percent over the same period, as it was boosted by relatively greater exposure to large technology companies, which have outperformed the overall market this year.
Tech stocks have soared as excitement over AI sparked a flurry of investment and spending in the industry, while raising concerns about a possible bubble.
Graham said the fund’s diversification had not paid off, but it was a prudent approach as it aimed to balance risks against potential returns.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2026.
The Canadian Press