Kevin O’Leary Says Tariff Chaos Has Created a ‘Ridiculously Fantastic’ Investment Opportunity in Canada — ‘Never Been A Better Time’ to Invest
When two of the world's biggest trading partners start throwing around 50% tariffs, most people see trouble. "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary sees a sale.
The Canadian businessman says the escalating U.S.-Canada trade fight could be creating an unusually attractive entry point for investors willing to look past the political noise.
More News from Barchart
Speaking on Fox Business on Aug. 31, O'Leary argued that there has "never been a better time to invest in Canada" despite the chaos surrounding the tariff dispute.
His thesis is simple. The current standoff isn't built to last, and Canada's underlying resources could make the country particularly attractive once the political dust settles.
O'Leary Sees Chaos at the Bottom
O'Leary said he expects the tariff fight to become a relatively short-lived political battle rather than a permanent break between the two economies.
"This is a politically motivated period of time," O'Leary said, estimating it could last "60, 90 days."
He argued that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney can't sustain 50% tariffs without pushing Canada into a recession. At the same time, O'Leary said 26 U.S. states would struggle to maintain tariffs against their largest trading partner.
That creates what he sees as the unusual opportunity.
Sponsored Content: The Trillion-Dollar Energy Opportunity Investors May Be Missing
"You can invest in a country in economic chaos at the bottom and get a ridiculously fantastic return over the next five years," O'Leary said.
The idea is that investors willing to buy while sentiment is sour could benefit if the dispute eventually cools and Canadian assets recover.
Carney Changed O'Leary's View
O'Leary also acknowledged that his opinion of Carney has changed.
He previously worried that Carney could become another version of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Now, O'Leary said the facts have changed his mind.
"I have because when facts change, I change," O'Leary said. "He's not Trudeau 2.0."
O'Leary pointed to Carney's efforts to attract foreign capital as one reason for the shift.
Carney has been pushing to bring major investors into Canada and accelerate large infrastructure and resource projects. O'Leary highlighted a planned Toronto conference where sovereign wealth fund executives were invited to examine potential Canadian investments.
For O'Leary, that matters because Canada has spent years struggling to attract capital.
Canada's Resource Advantage
O'Leary's bullish case also goes well beyond tariffs.
He pointed to Canada's enormous reserves of resources, including water, electricity, gold, precious metals, potash, and uranium.
The country also sits next to the world's largest economy and remains deeply tied to the U.S. through trade.
That combination, O'Leary argued, gives Canada something that could matter long after the current political fight is over.
The tariff dispute may be dominating headlines now. O'Leary's bet is that the headlines will eventually fade, while Canada's natural resources and economic ties with the U.S. remain.
For investors, that's the central calculation behind his "ridiculously fantastic" five-year return thesis.
On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
