The delegation from the Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council (SLCBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce attended a focused series of meetings in Toronto with stakeholders in agriculture, banking, mortgages and technology, hosted by Affinity Mortgage Solutions Inc. The event was warmly opened by Hiren Patel, Vincent Sinnadurai , CEO of Affinity Mortgage Solutions Inc., who welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation and extended full support from his firm for Canadian‑Sri Lankan trade and investment initiatives.

The SLCBC delegation was led by Mohamad Hameez, Chairman / Managing Director of Spillburg Holdings (Pvt) Ltd and President of the Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council. During his remarks, Mr. Hameez set out a strategic agenda for collaboration between Canadian and Sri Lankan organisations, particularly in agriculture, agri‑tech and research & development.

The meetings featured a keynote address by Dr. Suba Simu Kamar, President & CEO of Van Luce Greenhouses and Gardens Center (Ontario) and Director of AgriKum Ontario, who shared her expertise in sustainable agriculture and greenhouse technologies. She called for tangible next‑step actions to support small‑scale farmers in Sri Lanka with modern techniques, youth engagement and inclusive employment models.

Key insights from the session included:

  • Sri Lanka’s small‑scale farmers often lack access to advanced machinery, efficient irrigation, pest & disease control tools and resilient supply chains;
  • Climate change, soil degradation and labour shortage are growing constraints on productivity;
  • There is strong scope for Canadian partners to support Sri Lanka via capacity building, technology transfer, extension services and market access;
  • Canadian mortgage and finance players like Affinity Mortgage Solutions are open to exploring agribusiness and micro‑lending initiatives supporting Sri Lankan agriculture investment.

The delegation reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral economic relations, encouraging Canadian corporates to view Sri Lanka as an inbound investment destination and regional headquarters for the Indo‑Pacific market.

Mr. Hameez extended sincere gratitude to Mr. Patel and the Affinity Mortgage Solutions team for hosting the meetings, enabling networking with Canadian banks, tech firms and agribusiness leaders, and invited all participants — especially the Sri Lankan diaspora — to deepen engagement with Sri Lanka’s evolving economy.