Some of Canada’s largest financial institutions and pension funds are committing tens of billions of dollars to investments in strategic sectors including defence, energy, infrastructure and artificial intelligence, as the country seeks to strengthen domestic economic capacity and attract further private capital.
The announcements come ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Canada Investment Summit, which is set to bring together global investors, Canadian business leaders and public-sector representatives to discuss opportunities for investment and economic growth. The new commitments also follow a decision by Canada’s banking regulator earlier this year to reduce the amount of capital that the country’s Big Six banks are required to hold against financial shocks, freeing up billions of dollars for potential investment.
Analysts expect a significant share of this additional capital to support major national projects in the coming years. John Aiken, an analyst at Jefferies Inc., said the key question for investors is whether Canada can turn its ambitions, available capital and policy support into projects capable of generating sustainable private-sector returns.
Major Banks Increase Investment Commitments
Bank of Montreal announced plans to mobilize up to $70 billion in new capital over the next 10 years, targeting areas considered critical to Canada’s future economic development.
“Building Canada has always depended on bold ideas backed by capital,” BMO chief executive Darryl White said, highlighting the opportunities emerging across strategic economic sectors.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, meanwhile, announced a $2-billion commitment to help small and medium-sized defence-related businesses expand. The initiative will also support companies operating in areas such as energy, cybersecurity, digital capabilities, infrastructure and advanced technologies.
Royal Bank of Canada has announced a separate $1.4-billion initiative focused on Canadian technology companies, with the bank planning to make direct equity investments in firms that have the potential to develop into global industry leaders.
RBC chief executive Dave McKay said the bank aims to help more Canadian technology companies scale internationally while continuing to operate from Canada.
Scotiabank has also introduced a framework that will allow it to issue Canadian defence bonds, designed to provide additional financing for companies operating in the country’s defence and security ecosystem.
Pension Funds Also Target Canadian Opportunities
Canada’s major pension investors are similarly increasing their focus on domestic assets.
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) said it expects to increase its investments in Canada by 30 to 40 per cent over the next several years, bringing the value of its Canadian investments above $100 billion.
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board announced plans to invest an additional $10 billion in Canadian public and private markets by the end of 2027. The pension fund currently has approximately one-third of its overall portfolio invested in Canada.
Sun Life Financial also announced that it plans to deploy $5 billion over five years into investments supporting Canada’s economic growth and resilience. The planned investments will include critical infrastructure as well as digital technology, energy, transportation and logistics.
Taken together, the announcements point to a significant increase in the availability of domestic capital for strategic Canadian investments. They also reflect growing efforts by both financial institutions and policymakers to ensure that Canadian savings and investment capacity are directed toward projects that can strengthen productivity, industrial resilience and long-term economic growth.
Turning Capital into Projects
The scale of the commitments highlights the amount of capital potentially available to support Canada’s economic ambitions. However, analysts note that securing investment is only one part of the challenge. Canada will also need to develop and execute projects capable of attracting private investment and delivering sustainable economic returns.
The upcoming Canada Investment Summit is therefore expected to provide greater clarity on how the federal government intends to connect private capital with major national priorities. Defence, energy infrastructure and advanced technologies are likely to remain central to these efforts as Canada seeks to strengthen its economic resilience while navigating a more uncertain global environment.
The developments also underline the increasingly important role of Canada’s financial sector in supporting national economic priorities. With banks, pension funds and insurers collectively committing billions of dollars, the country has a substantial pool of domestic capital that could help finance the next generation of strategic projects.
Source: This article is based on a Financial Post report titled “Some of Canada’s biggest financial players are promising billions of dollars ahead of Mark Carney’s investment summit.”
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Written for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary News Section as part of our ongoing coverage of developments affecting Canadian trade, economy and international partnerships, September 2026