A piece of legislation designed to provide for the review of significant investments made in Canada by non-Canadians in order to ensure they benefit Canada. The Investment Canada Act provides regulations pertaining to non-Canadians who acquire control of existing Canadian businesses, or who establish new Canadian businesses. Such individuals or entities must submit a notification or an application for review under the Investment Canada Act. |||A Canadian federal law, the Investment Canada Act governs foreign direct investment within Canada. The act authorizes the Canadian government to prohibit any foreign investments over $299 million (or others of "significant" size, as established by the government) if it is determined that they do not or will not provide a net benefit to Canada. The act went into effect on June 20, 1985, as one of Brian Mulroney's first acts as part of the Progressive Conservative government.