Cheap, Cheap, Cheap

No that’s not the Twitter bird making noise, it’s the sound of wise International business investors and startup entrepreneurs talking about how Canada is their new bargain basement shop for opportunities.

It’s a rare opportunity for US investors and entrepreneurs to exploit the surging US dollar and build a sound, secure, and productive Canadian investment portfolio that has nowhere to go but up.

A recent post from Jeff Hayden revealed that most big fortunes are made from capital gains, primarily from real estate. We all know that if you play your cards really well, getting rich is a very real outcome. If it’s not real estate, then perhaps there are 4 other sectors where big wealth is a high probability: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, app development and digital marketing. Interestingly, Canada is strong in these sectors.

exports

That’s right. It’s all about doing business in other countries.As our natural resource companies falter, our service businesses become much more attractive. You have a chance to pick up businesses in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary for a song.  Pharmaceutical, medical equipment, and digital marketing companies are prime targets.

And how about real estate? TREB just published its July home sales report showing home sales in Toronto which are approaching 10,000 per month. That’s a record and the average price rose a whopping 14% since last summer.

With the Canadian dollar continuing its free fall (some say below 70  cents US) , real estate in Canada continues to be a bargain. And Canadian businesses of any kind are a bargain. Low wages and highly skilled workers might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for US business investors.

It may stay this way for years as Asian economies slow down and the price of oil and commodities drop. Foreign investors and tourists get a 32% bonus on their purchases here. Everything is cheap in Canada and some companies such as Salesforce believe this is a hotbed of innovation.

The benefits of investing in Canada:

Reality: greatest potential for growth
Friendly and agreeable: Canada is the best country in the G-20 to do business with, according to both Forbes and Bloomberg.
Proven: Canada led all G-7 countries in economic growth over the past decade (2004–2013)
Reputation: Canada is the best country in the G-20 to do business, according to both Forbes and Bloomberg.
Safe and Secure: Free trade pacts and friendly relations with US means your investment is financially secure
Market size: access to vibrant world markets with a combined GDP of US$38 trillion
Educated: Canada’s workforce is the most highly educated among members of the OECD, with half of its working-age population having a tertiary level education.
Low Tax: Total business tax costs in Canada are by far the lowest in the G-7 and 46 percent lower than those in the United States.
Excellent banking: World Economic Forum has declared Canada’s banking system to be the soundest in the world.
Quality of Life: Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto rated as the top cities to live in the world.

Unfortunately, manufacturing has not returned to Canada as yet. Asia and Mexico have held a grip on manufacturing activities. With an infusion of cash, Canadian manufacturers and service providers can compete very well globally. Americans should view Canada with an eye for global access. Canada’s free trade deals internationally are liberal and attractive.

The US economy is roaring so the bargain basement reality in Canada should keep encouraging Americans with more money to invest, to buy here.