Venture for Canada CEO, Steven Wang, recognized at Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on building Canada’s economic future

Toronto & Ottawa,

February 10, 2026 – Venture for Canada (“VFC”), a national non-profit and charity empowering Canadians with entrepreneurial skills, mindset, and opportunities to succeed in an AI-enabled innovation economy, shared that its Chief Executive Officer, Steven Wang, was invited to speak in Ottawa before the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. During his appearance, Wang contributed to the Committee’s study on Canadians abroad, highlighting the strategic importance of Canada’s global diaspora in strengthening national resilience, economic growth, and long-term competitiveness.

In his remarks, Wang emphasized that Canada is entering a pivotal moment marked by geopolitical uncertainty, economic transformation, and mounting pressures on productivity and workforce resilience. He shared that without a coordinated strategy, Canada risks underutilizing one of its most valuable assets: the more than four million Canadians living and working abroad.

“It is time to build sustained pathways that enable our fellow Canadians to answer the call to service and contribute to our national future,” said Wang. “We do not lack global talent or goodwill, but we do lack the infrastructure needed to ensure Canadians, wherever they are in the world, can meaningfully contribute to Canada’s renewal.” 

Wang underscored that Canada is approaching a critical inflection point for its workforce and economy. From small business succession challenges to global competition for skilled talent, he noted that inaction carries real risk for Canadian workers and entrepreneurs alike.

“From my own journey of arriving in Canada at age nine, growing up in Cambridge, Ontario, then studying and working across the U.K., China, and the U.S., I’ve seen firsthand that Canadians abroad are not disconnected. Quite the opposite: many want to be engaged. What’s often missing are the clear and sustained pathways to contribute back home.”

Drawing on Venture for Canada’s network of entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, and early-career Canadians, Wang highlighted how diaspora networks can help Canadian companies overcome barriers to global expansion, including gaps in local context, cultural fluency, and access to trusted networks and capital, especially in an era of trade diversification for the country.

“Moreover, through our network of alumni and programs, we’ve seen firsthand Canadians who are living abroad or have returned to Canada are mentoring and acting as advisors and speakers for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Venture for Canada has acted as a bridge for those looking to reinvest in Canada by sharing their knowledge and expertise from abroad.” 

Beyond mentorship and advisory roles, Wang noted that there is a growing interest among globally mobile Canadians in entrepreneurship through acquisition. Rather than starting new ventures from scratch, these individuals are seeking to acquire and modernize existing Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly those facing succession challenges while bringing international skills, capital, and networks back into the Canadian economy. 

Wang outlined three priorities for advancing effective diaspora engagement nationally: greater coordination across fragmented efforts, a shift from a “brain drain” mindset to one of “talent circulation,” and a mission-driven approach tied to concrete national outcomes such as productivity growth, trade diversification, and responsible innovation.

“Our competitive advantage as a country lies in our ability to connect across markets, ideas, and cultures, so that Canadians everywhere can help build a stronger, more resilient future at home.”

The invitation to appear before the Senate Committee reflects Venture for Canada’s growing role in national conversations on entrepreneurship, talent development, and Canada’s place in a rapidly changing global economy.

About Venture for Canada

Venture for Canada is a leading national non-profit and charity with a mission to transform how Canadians access meaningful work through proven entrepreneurial pathways and programs. Through hands-on work experiences and a national community of founders and operators, Venture for Canada helps Canadians and businesses modernize and scale while shaping the national conversation on the future of work in the AI era.