About Us
Our Database
The most comprehensive database and up-to-date database tracking inbound Chinese investment to Canada which records transactions from 1993 onwards.
Updated monthly, our dataset is well suited for real-time analysis of trends and patterns in Chinese investments. Unlike the official Chinese and Canadian balance of payments (BOP) approach to recording foreign investment, our transaction-based dataset better captures deals whose ultimate investor resides in China but that was routed through other regions such as Hong Kong and Europe. Our dataset also captures important metrics such as the geographical and sectoral distribution of Chinese investments in Canada, as well as other essential aspects of individual transactions including ownership type of the investors as well as percent equity stake acquired. Compared with the aggregate values extracted from official BOP data, the detailed information contained in our dataset allows for more specific and in-depth analyses of Chinese investment in Canada.
The China-Canada Investment Tracker project is part of the China Institute’s mission to advance the study of the economic and political dimensions of contemporary China through policy-relevant research. Our ongoing activities in this area include the National Canada-China Economic Forum, the China Institute’s flagship event that brings together China scholars, policy-makers, industry leaders, and others to highlight and discuss recent investment trends and policy perspectives.
We anticipate that the data gathered for the China-Canada Investment Tracker will facilitate and supplement future analyses into the trends and policy implications of Chinese investment in Canada.
Our Methodology
The China-Canada Investment Tracker dataset provides a bottom-up perspective on investment flows from China to Canada. As an alternative to official Chinese and Canadian foreign equity investment statistics, reflected in the capital accounts of both countries’ balance of payments (BOP), our transaction-based dataset provides value-adding features to its users.
The China Institute, University of Alberta
The China Institute at the University of Alberta (CIUA) is Canada’s only established, multi-disciplinary think tank and research centre focusing solely on China studies. The Institute strives to generate and disseminate knowledge that supports in-depth understanding of today’s China and encourages policy development in response to China’s evolving role in the world.