The Canadian Council for the Americas (CCA) is urging the federal government to take immediate steps to strengthen trade and economic ties across Latin America and the Caribbean, releasing a new report that outlines a strategy for growth, resilience and regional leadership.
The report, Beyond the Build: A New Canadian Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean, sets out a plan linking Canada’s national infrastructure priorities with what the CCA identifies as the region’s most pressing needs. The document was led by CCA president Ken Frankel and Marta Blackwell, with contributions from Janice Stein, Jonathan Hausman, Amanda Lang, Eric Miller, John Price and Doug Saunders.
Ken Frankel
“Canada needs a new playbook for economic growth across the Americas,” said Frankel. “Our ambitions, skills, and expertise are well aligned to growth opportunities across the region.”
The report recommends prioritizing five areas to drive economic growth and expand trade. These include leveraging existing free trade agreements, creating business consortiums and tax incentives for infrastructure investment, and establishing partnerships to develop rare earth elements and critical minerals. It also proposes reimagining labour mobility as a “skills exchange strategy” and strengthening cybersecurity and supply chain resilience.
Janice Stein
“In a time of unprecedented change, partnerships in Latin America present significant economic opportunities. They must also address important security issues. Canada can be a first mover before others seize this opportunity,” said Janice Stein, founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs.
According to the CCA, Canada is positioned to become a preferred regional partner, but must act quickly to capitalize on what it calls a narrowing window of opportunity amid rising global competition.
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Entrepreneur. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 and 2024 as one of the top business journalists in the world by PR News. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024 and 2025.
About Us
Canada’s Entrepreneur is the number one community media platform in Canada for entrepreneurs and business owners. Established in 2016, our podcast team has interviewed over 800 Canadian entrepreneurs from coast-to-coast. With hosts in each province, entrepreneurs have a local and national format to tell their stories, talk about their journey and provide inspiration for anyone starting their entrepreneurial journey and well- established founders.
The commitment to a grass roots approach has built a loyal audience on all our social channels and YouTube – 500,000+ lifetime YouTube views, 250,000 + audio downloads, 50,000 + average monthly social impressions, 15,000 + engaged social followers and 120,000 newsletter subscribers. Canada’s Entrepreneur is proud to provide a local, national and international presence for Canadian entrepreneurs to build their brand and tell their story
