Canadians sharply increased their exposure to foreign securities in February 2026, with net purchases surging to CAD 25.36 billion, more than double the previous month’s level. The latest figures, updated on 17 April 2026, compare with CAD 11.39 billion in foreign securities bought in January 2026.
The jump suggests a marked acceleration in Canadian demand for offshore assets over the late winter period. While the data detail only the aggregate value of purchases, the magnitude of the month-on-month increase points to a growing appetite among Canadian investors for diversification outside domestic markets, potentially in response to shifting global interest rate expectations, currency dynamics, or equity performance abroad.
With February’s total representing a significant step up from January’s already substantial inflows, market participants will be watching upcoming releases closely to see whether this move into foreign securities proves to be a short-term repositioning or the start of a longer-term trend in Canadian portfolio allocation.