Skip to content | Skip to institutional links

Institutional links

Industry Sectors


Canada excels in multiple sectors, as diverse as our vast country. As one of the world’s most competitive investment locations—with regional clusters of industrial excellence and indispensable connections to global value chains—Canada has clear advantages for the sophisticated investor seeking new opportunities.

Canada has created a unique business environment that allows companies to grow on the world stage. To attract the best and brightest, Canada has focused its policies, business incentives and university support around key industries.

Canada’s Industry Strengths

  • Aerospace: Canada’s global share of aerospace activity has tripled in the last 20 years, making Canada the world’s 5th largest aerospace producer.
  • Ag-biotech: Canadian firms’ revenues exceed those of US agro-based companies and are more than double those of Japan and the UK.
  • Agri-food: Canada is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of agricultural products.
  • Automotive: Canada is among the Top 10 automotive countries and the 3rd largest exporter of automotive products after Japan and the U.S.
  • Bio-Products: Cutting-edge Canadian firms are converting energy crops and other agricultural residues into bio-fibres, bio-fuels and bio-industrial oils – environmentally beneficial alternatives to conventional products that are as healthy for the pocket book as they are for the planet.
  • Biotechnology: Canada is a leader in biotechnology—one of the top five countries in the world.
  • Business Services: Canada’s business services sector is a critical node in today's multinational, multi-value chain model, generating over $57 billion in 2007 and employing 1.1 million
  • Chemicals: Nine of the top 10 chemical companies in the world have production facilities in Canada .
  • Digital Media - Games: Canadian companies are global leaders across the entire gaming value chain – from tools development to casual games and serious games, to both mobile games and gameware development.
  • Life Sciences: Canada’s life sciences innovators are at the very forefront of discovery.
    • Bio-Pharma: Canada leads the G8 in growth of health research patents, and ranks fourth internationally.
    • Contract Services: Canada has the highest rate of increase in the G7 in life sciences R&D workers, external patent applications and business expenditures on R&D, and the lowest life sciences labour costs.
    • Medical Devices: Canada is a global leader in digital radiography, in vitro diagnostics, cardiovascular devices, dental implants and materials, and home health-care products.
  • Pharmaceuticals: Canada is the fourth fastest growing market in the world for pharmaceuticals .
  • Plastics: Canada is the world’s fourth largest exporter of moulds and eighth largest exporter of plastics processing machinery.
  • Renewable Energy: With 430 companies, a rapidly growing workforce, and quality wind resources, Canada's Wind energy sector is the fastest growing renewable energy source in Canada
  • Software: Canada encourages growth through rich R&D tax credits and the lowest operating costs in the G7.
  • Wireless: A high-talent, low-cost labour force, R&D advantages, smart regulations and centres of research excellence makes Canada a rewarding location for enterprising investors.