Canadian Advisory Council explore trade and investment opportunities on first visit to North West
23 April 2026
Invest NI’s Canadian Advisory Council have learned more about the Derry City Region’s compelling offering as a location for trade and investment on their first visit to the North West today.
The Council is made up of 14 members of Canada’s Irish diaspora who are seeking to strengthen economic links with Northern Ireland and are chaired by Strabane native Rodney Hill, Global Head of Technology, Data and Security at OMERS in Canada.
They work closely with Invest NI and Northern Irish Connections to support trade and foreign direct investment strategy with a focus on key sectors including Agri-Tech, Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, and Fintech and financial services.
During their visit to the North West, the delegation met with Mayor of Derry and Strabane Councillor Ruairí McHugh, Council officers and regional stakeholders in the Guildhall, receiving an overview of the City Region and its competitive offering as a location for investment and business partnership.
The visit included engagements with business and education leaders, meetings with existing investors and a tour of innovation hubs supporting start-up and scaling businesses.
Mayor McHugh, welcomed the opportunity to showcase the North West to a high level delegation.
“The visit of the Canadian Advisory Council to our Council area represents an important opportunity for them to gain a deeper understanding of the North West region and for us to further advocate for its attractive potential as a hub for investment.
“We were pleased to have the opportunity to showcase the strengths of the city region from our talented workforce and thriving key sectors to our growing reputation as a centre for innovation and collaboration.
“We value the Council’s commitment to strengthening economic links between the North and Canada and we look forward to further developing partnerships that will support investment, business growth, and shared prosperity.”
The Council was formed in 2024 by then Economy Minister Conor Murphy to play a key role in supporting local businesses to expand into the Canadian market while also opening channels for companies interested in investing in Northern Ireland.
Many of the Council members are global leaders in their respective fields and were selected for their commercial expertise, influence, and strong connections to Ireland.
For further information on the North West’s offering as a region to work, live and invest in visit www.investderrystrabane.com