Prime Minister Mark Phillips has urged Canadian investors to expand beyond Guyana’s mining sector, identifying opportunities in energy, agriculture and infrastructure while stressing that foreign investment must help develop local businesses and expertise.
Speaking on Wednesday evening at a reception for The Chair’s Circle during the Canada–Guyana Trade Mission 2026, Phillips called for partnerships that would contribute to economic diversification and employment.
“Our ambition is not simply to attract investment, but to ensure that investment contributes to a stronger and more diversified Guyanese economy,” he said, according to a release from his office.
Phillips noted Canadian companies’ longstanding involvement in mining but said opportunities extended to engineering, equipment manufacturing, environmental management, logistics and technical services for the oil and gas industry.
In agriculture and agro-processing, he identified demand for modern farming equipment, irrigation, storage and food-processing technologies. Engineering, construction, transport planning and water-management systems were among the infrastructure opportunities highlighted.
“Guyana is open for business, and Guyana is open to doing business with Canada. We welcome Canadian companies, investors, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, service providers and traders who wish to partner with us to build lasting prosperity,” he said.
Phillips said investment should strengthen domestic businesses, develop Guyanese expertise and create sustainable economic opportunities.
Turning to trade, he said imports and exports between the countries had each recorded aggregate growth of more than 50 per cent between 2021 and 2025. The release did not provide the corresponding trade values or a breakdown by commodity.
He said that growth provided a foundation for expanding commercial exchanges and increasing the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Phillips also pointed to approximately 86,000 people of Guyanese origin living in Canada, describing the diaspora as a link for business partnerships, knowledge-sharing and investment.
Guyana’s CARICOM membership and proximity to Brazil and Suriname could also provide Canadian businesses with access to Caribbean and northern South American markets, he said.
While the government was responsible for creating an enabling investment environment, Phillips said private-sector initiative was needed to turn opportunities into economic activity.
He urged participants to develop concrete proposals and partnerships that would generate jobs and innovation.
“Let this Trade Mission be remembered not merely as a visit, but as a turning point in the evolution of Guyana–Canada economic relations,” he said.
Discussion