Qatar Is Knocking on Canada’s Door

Natalie Ecanow | Sept 27, 2025

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Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund just took a $500 million bite out of Canada’s mining industry. On September 17, Ivanhoe Mines announced that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) invested that amount to acquire about 4 percent of the Vancouver-based company. The “strategic investment” will support Ivanhoe Mines “in finding, developing, and sustainably supplying the critical minerals essential to the global energy transition and advanced technology applications,” said QIA CEO Mohammed Said Al-Sowaidi.

The Ivanhoe investment is not Qatar’s first dig into Canada’s mining industry. In March, Qatari royal Sheikha Sara Nasser Al-Thani entered into an agreement with Vancouver-based mining company, Doubleview Gold Corp, “to build and foster a potential collaboration with the state of Qatar by way of the Qatar Investment Authority.” In its press release, Doubleview said it had “received a statement of interest” from the sheikha for a critical metals deposit in northwest British Columbia.

Qatar’s interest in Canada is not limited to mining. Qatari money is spreading across the Great White North in ways observed elsewhere in the West. Qatar has already established a foothold elsewhere in the Commonwealth — in fact, the Qatari royal family reportedly owns more of London than King Charles himself. Without vigilance, Canada could eventually become Qatar’s next Commonwealth beachhead.

Qatari Investments in Canada’s Energy Sector

In addition to mining, Qatar is taking an interest — and a stake — in Canada’s energy sector. In 2013, Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) and British energy company Centrica acquired “a package of producing conventional natural gas and crude oil and associated infrastructure” in western Canada for $1 billion. The following year, QPI announced that it had acquired 40 percent of “Centrica’s wholly owned Canadian natural gas business for $200 million.”

Qatar Petroleum has since rebranded as “QatarEnergy.” QatarEnergy’s 2023 annual review — the most recent review publicly available — indicates that the company owns 40 percent of the license for two potential drilling zones off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, and 30 percent of the license for a third potential drilling zone.

Beyond Natural Resources

For Qatar, Canada evidently offers more than natural resources. It offers lucrative partnerships and access to cutting-edge technology. In June, QIA launched a $200 million fund with Montreal-based asset manager Fiera Capital “to boost foreign and local investment” in Qatar’s stock market. QIA then joined a $250 million financing round in July for Vancouver-based medical solution company Kardium to support the launch of “an innovative treatment for atrial fibrillation.”

Qatar also partners with major Canadian universities. During a visit to McGill University in 2012, Qatar’s ambassador to Canada announced a $1.25 million gift to McGill’s Islamic Studies Institute “to fund a series of conferences.” McGill’s website likewise notes that Qatar established a fellowship in Islamic Studies in honor of Qatar’s former prime minister. Additionally, McGill’s Institute of Air and Space Law has collaborated with Qatar Airways on an Air Law Moot Court Competition and Rising Scholars in Air and Space Law Conference.

Ottawa Should Put Transparency Legislation on the Books

Qatar operates in Islamist, anti-Western circles despite maintaining a close bilateral relationship with the Canadian government. As such, Canadian companies should proceed with caution when accepting investments or considering partnerships with Qatari entities.

Simultaneously, Ottawa should work on strengthening transparency legislation. Last year, Canada’s parliament passed the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act (FITAA), which “provides for the appointment” of a “Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner” and “requires the Commissioner to establish” a public Foreign Influence Transparency Registry (FITR). However, as of writing, Ottawa has not appointed a commissioner, nor is the FITR up and running.

Additionally, Canada does not require colleges and universities to disclose foreign funding, so the depth of Qatar’s reach into Canada’s higher education system is unknown. If Qatar has sunk even a fraction of what it has spent in the American higher education system into Canadian institutions, the total could be in the hundreds of millions. Ottawa can refer to Section 117 of the U.S. Higher Education Act as model legislation.

Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Natalie and FDD, please subscribe?HERE. Follow Natalie on X?@NatalieEcanow. Follow FDD on X?@FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and national security.