A high-level Canadian delegation led by High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin concluded a four-day visit here on November 15, 2024 during which a range issues were discussed including potential investment in transportation networks and medical oxygen.
The delegation, which included representatives from Canada’s top commercial and development entities, sought to bolster economic ties and explore investment opportunities here, according to a release yesterday from the Canadian High Commission.
The Canadian delegation comprised officials from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), Export Development Canada (EDC), ON2 Solutions, WSP, and Aecon. They met the Ministers of Housing and Water, Health, Finance, Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and Public Works, as well as leaders from Scotiabank, the Guyana Office for Investment (G-Invest) and also had a discussion with President Irfaan Ali.
The delegation’s engagements encompassed several key sectors. ON2 Solutions, a company in medical oxygen solutions, discussed opportunities to strengthen Guyana’s healthcare infrastructure, including potential collaborations to enhance medical oxygen supply chains.
Infrastructure companies WSP and Aecon discussed ways to contribute to Guyana’s public works and housing initiatives. The release said that the expertise of WSP and Aecon in several projects was met with interest from Guyanese officials keen to learn from Canada’s experience in sustainable infrastructure development. The discussions centred on creating housing and transportation networks that could support Guyana’s economic trajectory while improving the quality of life for its citizens.
EDC and the CCC discussed financial solutions that would support Canadian companies’ investments here. The release said that their goal was to introduce a partnership model that supports robust project development while ensuring long-term benefits for Guyana, especially through a government-to-government and P-3 frameworks.
Another important component of the visit included meetings with Scotiabank and G-Invest.
These discussions focused on creating financial structures and incentives that would attract further investment from Canadian businesses. Scotiabank underscored Canada’s unique advantage in financial services in the Guyanese market. G-Invest officials expounded on Guyana’s investment landscape and investment opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, eco-tourism and agriculture.
In the meeting with President Ali, the Canadian delegation discussed the potential for “expanded collaboration at the highest level”.
The release said that the visit has set a promising trajectory for future collaborations between Canadian and Guyanese stakeholders and that the Canadian delegation expressed optimism about transforming initial discussions into concrete partnerships, with several sectors identified for immediate collaboration.
“Canada’s emphasis on ethical business practices and long-term value creation was well received by Guyanese officials, who recognized these qualities as essential for sustainable and inclusive growth”, the release added.
High Commissioner Sigouin, speaking on the importance of this visit, said, “Canada has a longstanding friendship with Guyana, and we believe there is tremendous potential for Canadian companies to contribute to Guyana’s future. Canada has a longstanding tradition of delivering high quality goods and services as well as in sharing its extensive expertise and know-how. This visit represents Canada’s commitment to support Guyana’s transformation journey, and fostering a relationship based on core leadership values such as respect, transparency, ethical business practices, and high standards.”
