With the G8 and G20 summits well underway there’s an international spotlight on Toronto right now. Much like the spotlight turned to Vancouver, Whistler and the athletes of the Winter Games, just a few months ago. It’s a massive undertaking for Canada to have both world events taking place on our soil in the same year – and less than six months apart, at that – yet it’s a good time for us to be in the spotlight. In fact, I think it’s a great time.

Yes, we’ve always been proud of our beautiful, expansive lands, mountains and waters – and our people: polite, kind and giving. But now, more than ever, we have a uniquely valuable business proposition that is garnering much respect from businesses, governments and influencers around the world.

At the heart of Canada’s public equity markets, Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange spend a significant amount of time telling Canada’s story to the world — in big and small meetings, through speeches, at conferences, in the news and even in our advertising. It’s something we do day in and day out, all over the world. In the past few months alone our teams have been in Mexico, China and Israel; we’re constantly in the U.S. and we just returned from a week of business in South America.

The story we tell is very compelling.

Canada is undoubtedly a world leader in natural resources and we can proudly say that 50% of the world’s public resource companies list on our exchanges. We’re also a clear leader in the important and fast-growing sector of clean technology and renewable power. Leading companies in this emerging sector came to Canada to raise capital to the tune of $1.5 billion last year, and almost $600 million so far this year. More companies in this sector list on our markets than on any other exchange in the world.

For a country of just over 33 million people and just over 2% of global GDP, we’re truly punching well above our weight class in global capital markets.

With over 3,600 companies listed on our exchanges we have more listed companies than any other exchange in North America and are 2nd in the world by number of listed companies. We’re also the 8th largest exchange group in the world by market capitalization and we 6th globally in total equity financing.

These achievements are embedded in enviable foundations… Canada boasts much unique economic strength:

• Stable political system
• Sound monetary policy
• Resilient fiscal policy… with 8 years of surplus
• Strong financial institutions

Further, the International Monetary Fund says that we have the top banking industry in the world and the Economic Intelligence Unit has ranked Canada as the #1 place to do business in the G7 for the next five years.

We also benefit from healthy international trade. $600 billion crosses the Canada/U.S. border annually; making the U.S. our most significant trading partner. China is now Canada’s second largest individual merchandise trading partner… and this business grows more each day.

Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange are immensely proud to represent Canada as we continue to expand our international reach, to bring more companies to list and invest in Canada, and to help drive the Canadian markets forward.

We have a great story to tell the world, and the world is listening.

Filed under: TSX Venture Exchange, Toronto Stock Exchange