Foreign Investment Initiatives in the GTA

Authors

  • Dan Kershaw
  • Paul Parker

Keywords:

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Manufacturing Production, Investment Models, Industrial Space, Provincial Agencies

Abstract

This paper presents some of the findings from a Local Economic Development research project underway at the University of Waterloo. The project is investigating the polices and program initiatives adopted by EDPs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), to promote foreign investment in their community. This paper investigates Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through a community lens, when in fact communities do not possess investment decision authorities and the FDI decisions were beyond the influence of the community as well. Foreign investment constitutes the lifeblood of the Canadian economy with 4 out of every 10 manufacturing jobs coming from foreign firms, which is one reason why Canada is referred to as the largest branch plant economy in the world. Ontario absorbs more than 56% of all investments in Canada making Ontario, specifically the GTA, the strongest economic region in the country. This makes FDI of crucial importance to the economy of the GTA and Canada. The purpose of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of strategies to attract FDI.

Author Biographies

Dan Kershaw

Dan Kershaw is a graduate student in the Local Economic Development Program (Masters of Applied
Environmental Studies), University of Waterloo. His major research paper is on Japanese Investment in the Greater Toronto Area. He completed an internship with the Economic Development Office of the Town
of Oakville. Dan's education includes an Honours BES from the University of Waterloo.

Paul Parker

Paul Parker is the Director of the Local Economic Development Program (Masters of Applied Environmental Studies) and an Assistant Professor of Geography, University of Waterloo. Prior to coming to Waterloo, he worked in Australia, England and Nova Scotia. Paul's education includes a BA and BSc
from Mount Allison University, an MA from the Australian National University and a Ph.D.from the London School of Economics.

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Published

1994-01-01

How to Cite

Kershaw, D., & Parker, P. (1994). Foreign Investment Initiatives in the GTA. Economic Development Journal of Canada, 41–47. Retrieved from https://ecdev.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/174

Issue

Economic Development Journal of Canada, 1994

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 1994 The journal owns copyright for all works published prior to June 2020. The author(s) retain copyright for all works published after June 2020.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

All content published in the Economic Development Journal of Canada is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Attribution (CC BY) International 4.0 license. The journal owns copyright for all works published prior to June 2020. The author(s) retain copyright for all works published after June 2020.