Prime Minister Mark Carney is shaking up the leadership of Invest in Canada, the federal agency tasked with luring foreign investment into the country, just weeks ahead of a high-profile summit built around doing exactly that.
Who's In, Who's Out
Carney has named Dominic Barton, the former global managing partner of McKinsey & Company and Canada's one-time ambassador to China, as the new chair of Invest in Canada. The move comes alongside the departure of the agency's current CEO, Laurel Broten, whose exit clears the way for a broader leadership overhaul at the organization.
Barton is a familiar name in Ottawa policy circles. He previously chaired the federal government's Advisory Council on Economic Growth under the Trudeau government and has long been a go-to voice on Canada's competitiveness on the world stage. His appointment signals that Carney wants a heavyweight, internationally connected figure steering the agency at a moment when Canada is trying hard to convince global companies to set up shop here.
Why the Timing Matters
The leadership shakeup isn't happening in a vacuum. It comes just weeks before a major summit aimed squarely at attracting foreign capital to Canada, a signal that the Carney government wants fresh faces and a clear message heading into those talks. Invest in Canada exists to court exactly this kind of investment, helping foreign companies navigate the process of expanding into or relocating operations to Canada.
With global trade tensions and shifting supply chains pushing companies to reconsider where they build and invest, Ottawa has been positioning Canada as a stable, resource-rich alternative. A credible, high-profile chair like Barton is meant to reassure investors that the agency has the connections and clout to back up that pitch.
What Invest in Canada Does
For those unfamiliar, Invest in Canada is a Crown corporation created in 2018 to act as the country's front door for foreign direct investment. It works with provinces, cities and industry to help land major projects, from manufacturing plants to tech expansions, and to promote Canada as a destination for capital that might otherwise flow to the United States, Europe or Asia.
The agency has had a mixed track record since its creation, and critics have periodically questioned whether Canada does enough to compete with more aggressive investment-attraction strategies south of the border. Carney's decision to bring in Barton, along with a new CEO to be named, suggests the government sees this as a moment to reset the agency's approach.
The Bigger Picture
Carney has made economic growth and investment attraction central themes since taking office, framing Canada's ability to draw capital as key to weathering global economic uncertainty. Putting a well-known figure like Barton in charge of Invest in Canada fits that broader push, and the upcoming summit will be an early test of whether the new leadership can translate high-level connections into actual deals on the ground.
Source: CBC News.
