New reports developed in support of the Canada Investment Summit find trust attracts global capital, but scale, bankability and execution determine whether it deploys

Highlights

• Market opportunity is the primary driver of capital allocation
• Digital and AI infrastructure are strongest global investment themes
• Canada leads major countries in investor intention to maintain or increase investments

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- CPP Investments Insights Institute today published two complementary reports examining how global institutional investors decide where to deploy capital and what makes markets investible. The findings, published in the lead-up to the Canada Investment Summit, highlight Canada's strong position among global markets and its opportunity to translate investor confidence into greater investment.

Competing for Capital: How Global Investors Choose Markets explains how global institutional investors evaluate markets, while Trusted, But Untapped: Canada's Next Competitive Advantage Is Investibility applies those findings to Canada. Together, the reports examine how markets can convert investor interest into long-term capital deployment.

The Canada Investment Summit, scheduled for September 14 and 15 in Toronto, will bring together global investors, business leaders and public-sector representatives to explore investment opportunities in Canada, strengthen relationships with partners and advance commercial conversations that can translate investment interest into action.

The research draws on insights from 65 senior investment professionals across 20 countries, representing approximately $65 trillion in assets under management, which is roughly one-third of estimated global AUM. Respondents included pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, asset managers and other institutional investors across public and private markets.

Leading drivers of capital allocation

Market opportunity is the leading driver of capital allocation, cited by 80% of respondents, followed by regulatory efficiency and predictability at 72%, and policy stability at 69%. Leading barriers include unattractive risk-adjusted returns, policy reversal and regulatory uncertainty, among others.

"Global capital is looking for opportunity, but opportunity alone does not make a market investible," said Naomi Powell, Director, Insights Institute, CPP Investments. "Trust and predictable rules build confidence, but capital ultimately moves to opportunities with sufficient scale, profitable structures and a credible path to execution."

Investors also see a shift in where opportunities are coming from. Digital and AI infrastructure leads global investment themes at 65%, followed by energy at 43%, technology and semiconductors at 42% and defence at 35%.

Investors increasingly see AI, energy, transmission, critical minerals and logistics as an interconnected infrastructure system. Data centres require reliable electricity; electricity requires generation, transmission and distribution; and those systems depend on permitting, financing, engineering and secure critical-mineral supplies.

Canada's opportunities and challenges

Against that backdrop, Trusted But Untapped finds Canada well positioned. Among eight developed markets, it has the strongest investor retention profile: 94% expect to maintain or increase Canadian exposure over the next three years, ahead of Japan at 82% and the United States at 77%.

Canada is valued for policy stability, regulatory predictability and openness to global capital, and ranks second to the United States for access to sophisticated local investment partners. Its strengths in energy, natural resources and critical minerals also align with growing global demand for infrastructure supporting AI, electrification, advanced manufacturing and strategic industries.

The challenge is converting these advantages into investible opportunities at scale.

"Canada has already earned something increasingly valuable: the trust of global investors," Powell said. "The opportunity now is to turn that confidence into profitable investments. Connecting Canada's strengths in energy, critical minerals and infrastructure to AI and other emerging themes can position the country for the next wave of global capital."

The reports find that investibility can be strengthened through clear project pipelines, predictable regulation, revenue certainty, effective risk-sharing and institutional-scale investment structures.

About CPP Investments Insights Institute 

CPP Investments Insights Institute delivers actionable insights on the most pressing challenges facing long-term investors. Drawing on CPP Investments' global expertise, the Institute partners with business leaders, academics and leading think tanks to publish high-impact research and convene conversations that advance investing excellence and long-term value.

About CPP Investments

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments™) is a professional investment management organization that manages the Canada Pension Plan Fund in the best interest of the more than 22 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, we make investments around the world in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure, fixed income and alternative strategies including in partnership with funds. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York City, São Paulo and Sydney, CPP Investments is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At June 30, 2026, the Fund totalled C$863.6 billion. For more information, please visit www.cppinvestments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or on X @CPPInvestments.

SOURCE Canada Pension Plan Investment Board