Focus on Canada and the United States: Investment and ownership

Canada's international transactions in securities, January 2025

The Daily

Following eight consecutive months of significant investment in US securities from February 2024 to September 2024, investment patterns have changed with Canadian investors reducing their exposure to US securities for three of the last four months for a total divestment of $9.5 billion. At the same time, Canadian investors have had four consecutive months of strong investment in non-US foreign securities, totalling $25.0 billion from October 2024 to January 2025.

Analytical product

Canada's international investment position, fourth quarter 2024

The Daily

At the end of 2024, 60% of all of Canada's foreign financial assets and 53% of all international liabilities were with the United States. This resulted in Canada being in a net foreign asset position vis-à-vis the United States; this value amounted to $1,789.8 billion at year end. Canada has maintained a net foreign asset position with the United States since the end of 2016.

Analytical product

Securities statistics, fourth quarter 2024

The Daily

Canadian investors' holdings of US securities substantially increased from $823.7 billion in 2014 to reach $3,044.8 billion at the end of 2024, a growth of 270% over the last 10 years. US securities accounted for 73% of all foreign securities held by Canadian investors in 2024.

Analytical product

Canada's international transactions in securities, December 2024

The Daily

Canadian investment in foreign securities amounted to $361.6 billion from 2020 to 2024, with two-thirds ($243.1 billion) of these acquisitions targeting US securities. This investment was evenly split between equities ($122.9 billion) and debt securities ($120.2 billion), with $51.0 billion being in US Treasury bonds.

Analytical product

Foreign control in the Canadian economy: Visualization tool

Interactive tool

This tool allows users to visualize data on foreign control in Canada and is split into three views: Country view, Macro region view, Industry sector view. The Country View allows users to choose from a selection of countries, including the United States.

Data visualization

Activities of Multinational Enterprises: Interactive Tool

Interactive tool

This tool presents information on activities of multinational enterprises at the international and national level. Data related to activities with the United States are available.

Data visualization

Activities of multinational enterprises in Canada and abroad, 2022 (actual) and 2023 (preliminary)

The Daily

Employment at foreign affiliates of Canadian multinational enterprises reached 2.04 million in 2023, of which 0.8 million were at US affiliates.

Analytical product

Table 36-10-0470-01 - Activities of Canadian multinational enterprises abroad, by countries

Data table

Annual data on activities of Canadian multinational enterprises abroad, by countries, including the United States.

Data product

Table 36-10-0445-01 - Activities of multinational enterprises in Canada, foreign multinationals, by immediate and ultimate investor country

Data table

Annual data on economic activities of foreign multinational enterprises in Canada, by immediate and ultimate investor country, including the United States.

Data product

Foreign control in the Canadian economy, 2022

The Daily

Returns collected under the Corporations Returns Act show that enterprises in Canada are controlled by entities from over 90 countries. However, only eight countries account for 87% of these foreign-controlled assets. In 2022, the largest share of foreign-controlled assets was owned by U.S.-controlled enterprises. They accounted for 52.3% of all assets under foreign control.

Analytical product

Table 33-10-0570-01 - Foreign-controlled enterprises in Canada, by financial characteristics and selected country of control

Data table

Dollar amounts and percentages of assets, operating revenues and operating profits of incorporated enterprises that are operating in Canada by the Finance and Non-Financial industries and selected country of control, including the United States.

Data product

Inter-corporate Ownership, 2023

Data table

This product is a directory of corporate ownership in Canada. The entries for each corporation provide both the country of control and the country of residence. In 2023, approximately 28% of the 55,000 corporations listed have United States as their country of control.

Data product

Table 36-10-0659-01 - International investment position, Canadian direct investment abroad and foreign direct investment in Canada, by industry and select countries, annual

Data table

Annual data on the value of Canadian direct investment abroad and foreign direct investment in Canada, presented by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and selected countries, including the United States.

Data product

Foreign direct investment, 2023

The Daily

The stock of Canadian direct investment in the United States reached $1,078.1 billion in 2023. The United States remains the main destination for Canadian direct investment abroad, accounting for 49.7% of all holdings at the end of 2023.

Analytical product