Canada’s top diplomat for Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands says the territory has an opportunity to attract significantly more Canadian investment – but first, it needs to tell its story.
During her first official visit to the Virgin Islands, Canadian Consul General Sylvia Cesaratto met with Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., officials from the Virgin Islands Port Authority, the Economic Development Authority, Public Works and other government agencies, describing the trip as both a diplomatic mission and an opportunity to identify new areas for Canadian business partnerships. Bryan told the Source the meeting was brief but said he expects to follow up with Cesaratto as discussions continue.
“We’re all about connecting people,” Cesaratto told the Source. “Where are the opportunities, and how do we connect the private sector to the private sector?”
The visit also highlighted Canada’s growing role in one of the territory’s largest infrastructure projects. Cesaratto attended a reception hosted in support of Aecon, the Canadian infrastructure company leading the SkyCity consortium selected by the Virgin Islands Port Authority to redevelop Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix through a long-term public-private partnership.
Aecon is one of Canada’s largest publicly traded infrastructure companies and serves as the project’s development lead, design-build contractor and equity partner. Through SkyCity, the company has partnered with local contractor J. Benton Construction, airport operator Avports and infrastructure investor Tikehau Star Infra to finance, redevelop, operate and maintain the territory’s two airports under a 40-year concession. The consortium was selected by VIPA in 2024 following a competitive procurement process and remains in the transition phase of the project.
The airport redevelopment has also entered a critical stage of negotiations with the airlines that serve the territory. Earlier this summer, Airlines for America’s Airport Affairs Committee warned that the proposed financial structure could significantly increase airline operating costs and argued carriers had not been meaningfully consulted throughout the P3 process. VIPA subsequently agreed to continue discussions with airline representatives as negotiations move forward.
Cesaratto said Aecon’s involvement demonstrates that Canadian companies view the Virgin Islands as a serious place to invest.
“This is not a fly-by-night operation,” she said. “It’s a very serious company, publicly traded on the stock exchange and world-class in what they do.”
But she believes the airport project should be just the beginning.
Throughout her meetings, Cesaratto encouraged Virgin Islands officials to promote economic opportunities directly to Canadian investors, noting that many companies simply are not aware of what the territory has to offer.
“I think the Canadians don’t know what the opportunities are,” she said. “The people who are here have to be telling that story.”
Cesaratto pointed to Canada’s Infrastructure Conference, the annual gathering of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships, as one opportunity. The conference brings together government officials, infrastructure developers, institutional investors, engineering firms and public-private partnership specialists from across Canada and around the world to discuss major infrastructure projects and financing opportunities. Organizers expect representatives from more than 200 companies, governments, agencies and nonprofits, with as many as 1,000 delegates attending the 2026 conference in Toronto.
She encouraged Virgin Islands government officials to consider attending the conference to showcase projects like the airport redevelopment and connect directly with companies looking for investment opportunities.
“USVI, you guys need to be there,” she told The Source. “Tell your story and tell them what’s happening. People would be interested. They’re looking for these projects.”
She suggested the Virgin Islands participate in Canadian infrastructure and investment conferences where government officials could present projects directly to developers, engineering firms and institutional investors.
“I think there’s more we can do to get more Canadian companies here,” she said. “I think they would fall in love like Aecon and others have.”
Cesaratto pointed to Puerto Rico as an example of how Canadian investment has expanded beyond construction projects. Canada has interests in Puerto Rico’s airport public-private partnership as well as portions of its electrical transmission and distribution system, illustrating the breadth of Canadian involvement in large-scale infrastructure projects across the region.
While acknowledging recent trade tensions between Canada and the United States, Cesaratto said those issues have slowed – but not stopped – interest from Canadian businesses looking abroad.
“We’re looking at the long term,” she said. “Companies are starting to come back. The dust is starting to settle, and there are still a lot of opportunities.”
She said one of the Virgin Islands’ biggest strengths is its unique position as a Caribbean destination operating within the U.S. regulatory system.
“What struck me most is that you’re obviously a Caribbean island, but in the U.S. environment,” she said, noting that federal standards and access to U.S. funding distinguish the territory from many of its regional neighbors while creating opportunities for long-term infrastructure investment.
