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China Institute Announces Launch of the China-Canada Investment Tracker

EDMONTON—Today, the China Institute at the University of Alberta (CIUA) launched the China-Canada Investment Tracker, an online interactive visualization, as part of an ongoing project to study Chinese investments in Canada and around the world.

Users are able to view the value and number of investment deals by year, province, and sector. A breakdown of the value of deals per year by ownership status of the acquiring company (e.g. state-owned, private) is also provided.

As China’s global outward investment has grown in significance over the past two decades, there has been intense interest in understanding the overall picture and trends of Chinese investment in Canada.

“Our work represents the most comprehensive database of Chinese investments in Canada to date,” said CIUA Director Gordon Houlden. “We are confident that this information will be of great value to government, industry, and researchers.”

Data from the Investment Tracker show that the Canadian energy and mining sectors were, by far, the two largest recipients of investment, accounting for more than 95% of the cumulative value of Chinese investment in Canada over the past two decades. Alberta was the largest destination for investment, followed by British Columbia.

“These figures confirm previous observations about the importance of the Canadian energy and mining to Chinese investors,” said Houlden. “Projects in these sectors are capital-intensive and therefore attract investments of considerable magnitude.”

With data from public sources and verified through independent research, the Investment Tracker dataset covers over 250 acquisitions, equity investments, and joint ventures by Chinese-controlled entities in Canadian firms and assets with a total value of over $50 billion conducted over the last twenty years. For a fee, subscribers will be able to access the full dataset, which includes details on the date of the investment, target and acquiring companies, type of investment transaction, ownership stake acquired, sector, and more.

About the China Institute

Established in 2005, the China Institute at the University of Alberta focuses on the study of contemporary China, including Chinese energy policy, politics, economy, social issues, culture and Canada-China relations.

The China Institute aims to advance scholarship at the University of Alberta, to enhance and support new teaching and research activities between Canada and China, and to promote strong academic linkages between the University of Alberta and Chinese universities.

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