Invest in Canada CEO Resigns Two Weeks Before Carney’s Investment Summit

Laurel Broten resigned as chief executive of Invest in Canada effective Sept. 1, more than a year before her term was due to expire. Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc accepted the resignation. The same cycle, Prime Minister Mark Carney named Dominic Barton chair of the board and Gurinder Grewal, founder of MEM Growth Partners, as CEO.

Broten, a former Ontario cabinet minister and Bay Street litigator, had led the federal FDI agency since 2022.

Invest in Canada was helping organize Carney’s inaugural Canada Investment Summit in Toronto on Sept. 14 and 15, co-hosted with CPP Investments and PSP Investments. As many as 250 executives from 28 countries that collectively manage nearly $120-trillion are expected. Carney has promised $500-billion in new private-sector investment over five years.

Barton chaired Trudeau’s economic advisory council, which recommended creating Invest in Canada, and is chair of Rio Tinto. Grewal is being billed as someone who puts capital to work in energy, industry, infrastructure and technology. Carney said they will “catalyze billions in new investments into Canada.” Two weeks is a short runway to prove it.