02/18/2026
Diaspora Capital in Focus at Jamaican-Canadian Business Forum 2026 in Toronto.
TORONTO, February 17, 2026 — The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), in collaboration with the Consulate General of Jamaica in Toronto and the Jamaica Business Advisory Group, hosted the Jamaican-Canadian Business Forum 2026 on Tuesday at the Jamaican Canadian Association on Arrow Road in North York.
The forum, held under Jamaica’s Economic Diplomacy Programme, brought together diaspora leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and strategic partners to deepen commercial ties between Jamaica and Canada. Organisers said the initiative underscores JAMPRO’s ongoing efforts to align diaspora capital, expertise and global networks with priority growth sectors in Jamaica.
The event was also staged in collaboration with the Afro Caribbean Business Network (ACBN), which focuses on unifying and educating entrepreneurs of African and Caribbean heritage to build scalable and sustainable enterprises.
The well-attended forum featured a dynamic panel discussion addressing capital formation, business start-up strategies, access to financing, grants, and investment facilitation. Presenters outlined emerging opportunities in Jamaica’s “new economy,” highlighting growth areas such as logistics, the digital economy, the creative industries, and travel and tourism.
Participants engaged in practical dialogue on navigating regulatory frameworks, leveraging public-private partnerships, and tapping into Jamaica’s expanding infrastructure and innovation ecosystem. Several speakers emphasized the strategic importance of diaspora investment in advancing job creation, export growth, and technology transfer.
Among those in attendance was Noiger Wilks of HarryWatch, a travel and lifestyle enterprise that operates HarryWatch Boutique Travel, The Maroon Travel Company and HWT Solutions, a community-based business solutions firm. Wilks joined other business owners and Black entrepreneurs in exploring pathways to expand cross-border partnerships and scale operations within Jamaica’s evolving economic landscape.
Organisers described the forum as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral trade and investment flows, while positioning the Jamaican diaspora in Canada as a critical partner in national development. Further engagements under the Economic Diplomacy Programme are expected throughout 2026, targeting key diaspora markets.
