Fund Canada

2 min read · November 21, 2025
New Power Labs

At New Power Labs’ Capital Unlocked 2025, one message echoed across every stage: in a moment of backlash and retreat, the real risk is caution. 

In my conversation with Morgan Simon, she showed how the cost of caution weakens movements, stalls momentum, and allows harmful systems to win by default. Vu Le and Sadia Zaman echoed this, calling out our instinct to pull back just when boldness is most needed. 

Speaker after speaker pointed to the same truth: pushback happens because we are making progress. It is more important than ever to strengthen our support for diverse-led organizations and businesses. 

The diversity of Canada is broad and strong – spanning gender, ethnicity, Indigenous identity, citizenship and immigration status, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, language minorities, and more.

Diverse leaders are driving Canada’s next wave of innovation and productivity, yet still too often denied the capital required to build, grow, and thrive. 

At the Summit, we launched Fund Canada, a national campaign to unlock philanthropic and investment capital for underfunded and overlooked leaders. In a climate where many institutions are stepping away, early commitments – $334.9M from 16 asset owners and $148M from 6 asset managers – show that a powerful movement is choosing courage and opportunity over retreat.

Now is the moment for funders and investors to be bolder: to move capital with conviction, deepen commitments, and stand with the diverse leaders shaping Canada’s economy.

Narinder
New Power Labs

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to get weekly Equity Shots in your inbox.