Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Tuesday, 7 July 2026 05:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Canadian High Commissioner Isabelle Martin \ CanCham Sri Lanka Founder and Board Member Mohamed Hameez
By Safna Malik
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (CanCham Sri Lanka) recently celebrated Canada Day at Cinnamon Grand, marking the 159th anniversary of Canadian Confederation while bringing together diplomatic representatives, business leaders and private sector stakeholders to discuss bilateral trade, investment and Sri Lanka’s positioning within Indo-Pacific value chains.
The event reflected CanCham Sri Lanka’s role as a business platform established with the approval and support of Global Affairs Canada, aimed at expanding Canadian commercial engagement and supporting Sri Lanka’s integration into regional economic networks.
Strengthening bilateral ties
Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives and CanCham Sri Lanka, Patron Isabelle Martin, addressing the gathering, said Canada remained committed to strengthening engagement across trade, investment and development cooperation. She described Canada as a bilingual, multicultural and forward-looking country, built on indigenous lands and shaped by people from around the world, adding that the relationship with Sri Lanka was supported not only at government level but also through business, institutional and people-to-people links.
Martin said Canada Day was an occasion to reflect on shared values, including respect for diversity, protection of human rights, and commitment to peace, inclusion and reconciliation, which she said Canada was proud to share with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The High Commissioner said she had observed growing interest among Canadian companies and investors exploring opportunities to expand trade and investment in Sri Lanka, a trend she said was reinforced during a recent visit to Canada where she met stakeholders committed to strengthening bilateral ties. She added that following the country’s recent economic challenges, the resilience of the Sri Lankan people had been inspiring, and that Canada remained committed to supporting the country’s recovery and long-term development.
She further stressed that the Indo-Pacific region had become increasingly central to global economic activity, and that Canada’s engagement strategy reflected this shift. Martin said stronger collaboration between business communities was essential to unlocking growth potential, adding that chambers of commerce such as CanCham Sri Lanka played a critical role in translating policy direction into practical economic cooperation. She thanked the Chamber for its efforts in strengthening ties between the two countries.
Canadian High Commissioner Isabelle Martin and CanCham Founder Priyantha Chandrasekara
Founding of CanCham Sri Lanka
CanCham Sri Lanka Founder and Board Member, Mohamed Hameez, delivering the welcome address, outlined the Chamber’s establishment and progress since its formation on 21 December 2025 with the approval and support of Global Affairs Canada and the High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka. He said the Chamber’s founding board included representatives from the private sector in both Sri Lanka and Canada, reflecting a cross-border institutional structure, and that it was created to serve as a strategic economic bridge between the two countries.
Hameez said the Chamber had achieved several milestones since its establishment six months ago, expanding its operational footprint through a second office, a nationwide membership campaign and sector-focused initiatives spanning tourism, global health, information technology, education and skills development. “What we have delivered in the last six months is proof, not promise,” he said, referring to partnerships with Saskatchewan in global health, participation in the Indo-Pacific chamber network and a development roundtable with the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Development.
He said the Chamber’s corporate social responsibility efforts had included support for more than 75 differently-abled students at a school in Matale in partnership with Lions Clubs International District 306. He added that scholarship programs for students from underserved and low-income backgrounds are among the Chamber’s planned initiatives.
Looking ahead, he announced that the Chamber would organise a business delegation to Canada later in the year, covering Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, aimed at promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for foreign investment across tourism, real estate, fintech and education. He said this would be followed by an ocean cleanup initiative alongside the Chamber’s first anniversary celebrations toward the end of the year, and a climate-focused sustainable development forum planned for early 2027, alongside preparations for a CanCham Economic Forum intended to strengthen investment, innovation and inclusive economic growth.
Hameez said the Chamber was working with more than 20 Canadian chambers and business networks across the Indo-Pacific region to establish a unified platform for trade and investment cooperation. “The Indo-Pacific is calling, and Canada and Sri Lanka must respond together,” he said.
During the event, CanCham SL – Building Bridges for Economic Partnerships Between Canada, Sri Lanka and the Indo-Pacific Region was screened, outlining the Chamber’s strategic direction and its focus on positioning Sri Lanka within wider regional value chains.
This was followed by a panel discussion themed “Canada Day Dialogue: Aligning with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy – Building Resilient Value Chains in Energy, Tech, Manufacturing and Tourism.” The panel featured Former Finance Minister Eran Wickremaratne; Design Corp Group of Companies (Academy of Design – AOD) Founder and Chairperson Linda Spendawinde; and Classic Destinations (Expolanka Holdings PLC) Head of Destinations, UNWTO Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness Vice Chair, and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Former Chairman, Chalaka Gajabahu. Discussions centred on trade facilitation, investment flows and sectoral cooperation across energy, technology, manufacturing and tourism, reinforcing the broader Indo-Pacific framework referenced throughout the evening.
Five-Year Strategic Tourism Development Plan
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the Five-Year Strategic Tourism Development Plan, prepared by the CanCham Sri Lanka Tourism Core Group. The plan was formally handed over to the High Commissioner and Chamber leadership. The Chamber noted that the draft strategy would undergo consultation with key stakeholders and was expected to be finalised within 60 days, positioning it as part of broader efforts to support Sri Lanka’s tourism sector through investment, marketing cooperation and institutional linkages.
The Chamber stressed the importance of aligning bilateral engagement with broader Indo-Pacific economic trends, particularly in trade facilitation, investment cooperation, institutional partnerships and expanding Canadian business presence in Sri Lanka and the region. It also noted Canada’s commitment of approximately CAD 500 b to strengthen Indo-Pacific economic engagement over the next decade, reiterated during an Indo-Pacific Chamber collaboration initiative in April 2026.
CanCham Sri Lanka said it will continue advancing its sector programs and international partnerships in the months ahead, while preparing for an outbound business mission to Canada and a series of policy and investment forums aimed at deepening bilateral economic cooperation. The Chamber reiterated its call for stronger Indo-Pacific collaboration, pointing to its focus on trade, investment and sustained engagement between Canada and Sri Lanka.
- Pix by Shehan Gunasekara
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Canada Day cake cutting
