As Ottawa courts global capital, Invest in Canada faces questions over capacity and public benefit

The agency's 2026-27 departmental plan outlines fewer staff and lower spending even as Ottawa signals a more prominent role under the new leadership of Dominic Barton and Gurinder Grewal.
Dominic Barton, who also chairs Rio Tinto, was named chair of Invest in Canada's board on Aug. 31 as the Prime Minister's Office said the agency will take on 'a more prominent role' in Ottawa's investment agenda.The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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BY MZWANDILE PONCANA
September 14, 2026

The federal government wants Invest in Canada to shoulder a bigger role in its foreign-investment push, just as the small agency’s own plan calls for fewer staff and lower spending.

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