Statistics Canada reported today that foreign direct investment (FDI) in Canada increased three times faster than Canadian direct investment abroad through 2005, mainly as the result of the soaring Canadian dollar which lowered the value of existing investments abroad.

The financial industry dominates investment abroad, while the energy industry is drawing foreign capital.

FDI in Canada increased by more than 9% while Canadian direct investment abroad rose by only 3%. FDI in Canada reached $415.6 billion at the end of 2005, up $34.6 billion from a year earlier. This increase mostly came from acquisitions and injections of funds from the parents in the working capital of Canadian affiliates.

At the same time, Canadian direct investment abroad reached $465.1 billion, up from $451.4 billion at the end of 2004. The appreciation of the Canadian dollar lowered the position by $30 billion as Canadian direct investments abroad are denominated in foreign currencies. However, the value of capital transactions during the year more than offset this effect.

As a result, the net direct investment position (the difference between Canadian direct investment abroad and foreign direct investment in Canada) decreased to $49.5 billion at the end of 2005, down from a revised $70.4 billion a year earlier.

StatsCan said that in 2005, the Canadian dollar gained 3.4% against the U.S. dollar, 15.2% against the pound sterling, 19.0% on the Japanese yen and 18.3% on the euro.

Direct investment assets in the U.S. increased $17.4 billion to $213.7 billion, mostly as a result of capital outflows to existing operations located south of the border. The share of U.S. investment increased for a second consecutive year, accounting for 46% of total direct investment abroad at the end of 2005, up from 43% a year earlier.

The strengthening Canadian dollar against the euro and the pound sterling had a negative impact on direct investment assets in European countries, StatsCan said. The value of Canadian direct investment in the UK fell $1.7 billion to $42.7 billion although the UK remained the second most popular destination for Canadian direct investment abroad.

Canadian direct investment in France fell a significant 14%, as did investment in the Netherlands (-19%). However, these countries are still favourites for Canadian direct investors abroad. France, the Netherlands, Ireland and UK were the only European nations in the 10 top countries for Canadian direct investment abroad at the end of 2005.

Canadian direct investors continued to invest in Caribbean countries at the end of 2005. Barbados with $34.7 billion of direct investment, a 13% gain, was the third most popular country for direct investment after the U.S. and the UK.

Brazil was the only new country in the top 10 at the end of 2005, replacing Japan where investments declined 13% to $7.4 billion. Canadian direct investment in Brazil increased 14% to $8.0 billion.

At the end of 2005, FDI assets were mainly in the finance and insurance industry (44%), in the energy industry (12%) and in the metallic minerals industry (11%). The share of Canadian direct investment in finance and insurance sector has doubled in the past two decades while the share of the metallic minerals sector decreased from 17% to 11%.

Looking at investment flows into Canada, American investors held $266.5 billion in direct investment at the end of 2005, up $18.0 billion from 2004. About $11.6 billion of this gain went to the energy sector, which is the favourite for American direct investors. American direct investors have increased their position in the Canadian energy sector by more than 150% since 2000.

American direct investors were still by far the most important in Canada, holding nearly two-thirds (64%) of the total. Four European countries followed in order – the UK with $29.9 billion in foreign direct investment in Canada; France, $28.4 billion; the Netherlands, $21.7 billion; and Switzerland, $13.0 billion. Brazil was the only new country to join the top 10 list of Canada’s major partners for direct investment in Canada.

The 10 major investor countries accounted for 95% of the total, suggesting FDI in Canada is concentrated among major developed countries. However, almost 100 countries had direct investment positions in Canada at the end of 2005.

The finance and insurance sector accounted for 21% of foreign direct investment in Canada at the end of 2005, followed by the energy sector at 20%. The share of the energy sector in foreign direct investment has almost doubled since 1999, going from 11% to 20%, the same as it was in 1987.

@page_break@Canada’s net direct investment position declined $20.9 billion to $49.5 billion at the end of 2005. The nation’s net direct investment position has been positive for the last nine years and has contributed positively to the increase in Canada’s net international investment position.

Canada has a positive net direct investment position with most of its partners. However, at the end of 2005, the net direct investment position of Canada with the U.S. was a negative $52.8 billion. American direct investors have always held more assets in Canada than Canadian direct investors have held assets south of the border.