Another Canadian business delegation to arrive in Guyana later this year

… following a successful event earlier… following a successful event earlier

Months after a successful Canadian business delegation arrived on local shores to scope out investment opportunities, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Sébastien Sigouin says that efforts are being made to bring another business delegation this year.
During a reception held in honour of the 158th Canada Day at his residence, the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana spoke of the strong ties between his country and Guyana. Those ties include commercial interests.
Not only are more and more Canadian companies interested in investing, but the diplomat also revealed that arrangements are being made for another Canadian business delegation to visit Guyana.

“Canadian companies are also investing here in Guyana, for example, with the Oko West gold project that is now underway. This project alone is creating around 1,500 local jobs. A real example of responsible development and shared prosperity.”
“We also brought, in the fall, the first business delegation in many years. And we are working to bring another one in the coming months. So, things are happening,” Sigouin further said.
The Canadian delegation that visited last year was composed of officials from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), Export Development Canada (EDC), ON2 Solutions, WSP, and Aecon.
Their agenda had included meetings with government ministers, including 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 (Go-Invest), and a discussion with His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali.
The visit had highlighted Canada’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and strategic partnership with Guyana, focusing on Guyana’s expanding economy and emerging needs for sustainable critical infrastructure solutions.
The delegation’s engagements spanned several key sectors. ON2 Solutions, a leader in medical oxygen solutions, discussed opportunities to strengthen Guyana’s healthcare infrastructure, including potential collaborations to enhance medical oxygen supply chains, an area crucial for ensuring resilience in the healthcare system. Infrastructure giants WSP and Aecon explored ways to contribute to Guyana’s ambitious public works and housing initiatives.
In April, the Government of Guyana and the CCC had announced the renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening economic and commercial relations between Guyana and Canada.
This renewed MoU will facilitate cooperation, participation in discussions, and the exchange of information related to the procurement of Canadian goods and services. The original MoU between the Government of Guyana and the CCC was signed by Minister Singh and Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade, and Economic Development, Mary Ng, in April 2022.
Meanwhile, the high commissioner also noted that Canada’s contributions to Guyana also extend to development, where they have played a supporting role in a number of areas, such as in education.
“For example, we’ve provided a loan of over CAN $120 million to support social services across the country. That is GYD $18 billion for social services in Guyana,” Sigouin explained to the attendees.
“We’ve also invested, just last year, close to CAN $15 million or GYD $2.2 billion to work with partners such as UNICEF, World University Services of Canada and many others to advance issues such as creating early childhood development policies to provide Guyanese indigenous youth with essential skills and opportunities,” he added.