September 10, 2025
Toronto is a premier hub for private equity firms due to its strong financial infrastructure, deep pool of institutional investors, and vibrant dealmaking ecosystem. The city offers access to a highly educated workforce and a diverse economy spanning sectors like technology, healthcare, and real estate. Its position as a North American gateway provides firms with global connectivity and a stable regulatory environment. Combined with government support for innovation and a growing startup scene, Toronto presents attractive opportunities for both growth-stage investments and strategic exits.
Overview: Brookfield Asset Management is one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, with over US$150 billion (CAD $200+ billion) in private equity and related strategies as part of its global platform. Headquartered in Toronto, the firm operates across more than 30 countries and employs over 170 investment professionals and 140,000 operating professionals worldwide. Brookfield is known for its hands-on operational approach, leveraging its global scale, deep industry knowledge, and owner/operator heritage to transform businesses. Its investments span multiple industries and geographies, with a focus on market-leading companies requiring strategic and operational support.
Focus: Brookfield targets control investments in large-scale businesses with enterprise values typically exceeding US$500 million (CAD $670 million). The firm prioritizes companies with strong cash flow potential, scalable operations, and the ability to benefit from Brookfield’s operational expertise and long-term capital. Investment sectors include industrials, business services, infrastructure-related platforms, and technology-enabled services. Brookfield’s strategy emphasizes operational improvements, strategic growth initiatives, and disciplined risk management, aiming to deliver sustainable long-term value.
Overview: Northleaf Capital Partners is a Toronto-headquartered global private markets investment firm with over US$28 billion (CAD $37 billion) in commitments across private equity, private credit, and infrastructure. Founded in 2009, Northleaf operates from 10 offices worldwide, including Toronto, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. The firm is backed by leading institutional and family office investors and is recognized for its disciplined, research-driven investment process. Northleaf combines global reach with mid-market specialization, providing clients with diversified exposure to private markets while actively managing risk and liquidity.
Focus: Northleaf targets mid-market private equity opportunities, typically investing in companies with enterprise values between US$50 million and US$500 million (CAD $67 million–$670 million). The firm invests across primary funds, secondaries, and direct investments, with additional specialization in infrastructure and private credit. Sector exposure includes technology, business services, industrials, healthcare, and infrastructure such as transportation, telecom, and renewables. Northleaf seeks to deliver long-term, stable returns by building diversified portfolios of high-quality mid-market opportunities, supported by its global platform and institutional discipline.
Overview: OMERS Private Equity is the direct private equity investment arm of OMERS, one of Canada’s largest pension plans. With offices in Toronto, New York, London, and Singapore, the firm manages approximately CAD $17 billion (US$12.7 billion) in assets and is backed by the long-term capital of over 600,000 OMERS plan members. Established to deliver strong, stable returns through active ownership, OMERS Private Equity invests in North American and European companies with proven business models, resilient cash flows, and significant growth potential. The firm operates with a disciplined approach, combining operational expertise, strategic vision, and enduring capital support.
Focus: OMERS Private Equity targets control investments in industry-leading companies with enterprise values typically ranging from US$500 million to US$2 billion (CAD $670 million–$2.7 billion). Its sector priorities include business services, healthcare, industrials, and technology-enabled platforms. The firm works closely with management teams, leveraging its global resources and institutional stability to support transformative outcomes and sustained performance over extended investment horizons.
Overview: Onex Corporation is a Toronto-based investment manager and private equity firm founded in 1984. With over US$50 billion (CAD $67 billion) in assets under management, including US$7.8 billion (CAD $10.5 billion) of Onex proprietary capital, the firm operates globally through offices in North America and Europe. Onex invests both on behalf of its institutional clients and its own capital, which allows for strong alignment with investors and management teams. The firm’s integrated model includes private equity, credit strategies, and wealth management through its subsidiary, Gluskin Sheff. Onex is recognized for its disciplined approach, long-term partnership philosophy, and value-oriented investment culture.
Focus: Onex targets large-scale investments in North American and select international companies with enterprise values typically ranging from US$500 million to over US$5 billion (CAD $670 million–$6.7 billion+). The firm emphasizes control or significant minority positions in sectors such as healthcare, business services, industrials, and consumer. Onex combines deep operational engagement with patient capital, partnering with leadership teams to drive strategic growth, operational excellence, and long-term performance.
Overview: Dawson Partners is a Toronto-based private equity firm focused on the lower mid-market, partnering with entrepreneur-led businesses across North America, Europe, and the UK. Founded by a team with decades of collective experience in private equity and operational leadership, the firm brings a hands-on, relationship-driven approach to value creation. The firm is recognized for its long-term, founder-friendly philosophy and operational expertise in scaling lower mid-market companies.
Focus: Dawson Partners invests in established, profitable businesses with enterprise values typically between £10 million and £50 million (CAD $17 million–$85 million / US$13 million–$65 million). The firm focuses on majority investments in companies with strong growth potential, especially those undergoing generational transitions, strategic repositioning, or requiring acceleration capital. Key sectors include business services, industrials, consumer products, and healthcare. Dawson emphasizes close collaboration with management, long-term alignment, and thoughtful operational improvement to help companies reach their next stage of development.
Overview: Altas Partners is a Toronto-based private equity firm founded in 2012, known for its differentiated long-term investment strategy and focus on building enduring businesses. The firm manages approximately US$10 billion (CAD $13.4 billion) in capital and operates with a highly selective, research-intensive approach. Altas takes a patient and disciplined stance, often holding investments for extended periods to allow for compounding value creation over time. Its leadership team, drawn from top-tier investment and operational backgrounds, works closely with portfolio companies to support transformational growth without the pressure of short-term exit timelines.
Focus: Altas Partners targets large-scale investments in high-quality, market-leading businesses with strong fundamentals and stable cash flows. It typically invests in companies with enterprise values between US$400 million and several billion dollars (CAD $536 million–$6.7 billion+), focusing on sectors such as healthcare, education, business services, and industrials. The firm seeks to partner with exceptional management teams and emphasizes operational excellence, cultural alignment, and long-term strategic development.
Overview: Setter Capital is a leading advisory firm focused exclusively on the global private equity secondary market. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Toronto, the firm has built one of the most comprehensive platforms for secondary transactions in private markets. Setter provides strategic advisory and intermediation services to institutional investors, including limited partners, general partners, and secondary buyers, helping them navigate complex liquidity solutions. The firm is known for its proprietary market intelligence, deep counterparty relationships, and ability to execute high-quality transactions across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, and private credit.
Focus: Setter Capital specializes in advising and brokering secondary transactions, including traditional LP portfolio sales, GP-led processes such as continuation funds, and structured liquidity solutions. The firm supports deal sizes ranging from small tail-end portfolios to multi-billion-dollar mandates and leverages a robust global network of institutional buyers to deliver competitive pricing and execution certainty.
Overview: Birch Hill Equity Partners is a Toronto-based private equity firm founded in 1994, focused on the Canadian and U.S. mid-market. With over CAD $3 billion (US$2.2 billion) in capital under management, Birch Hill has made more than 70 investments across a wide range of industries, with over 59 fully realized. The firm is recognized for its collaborative culture, long-term orientation, and deep partnership with management teams. Birch Hill’s track record reflects a consistent emphasis on operational growth and value creation beyond financial engineering.
Focus: Birch Hill targets majority control investments in companies with enterprise values typically ranging from CAD $100 million to $2 billion (US$67 million–$1.3 billion). The firm focuses on mid-market leaders in sectors such as industrials, business services, consumer, financial services, and healthcare. Its strategy emphasizes long-term growth through operational excellence, cultural alignment, and close collaboration with management teams.
Overview: Clairvest Group is a Toronto-based private equity management firm founded in 1987, known for its deep partnership model and long-term, entrepreneurially driven investment philosophy. As a publicly listed company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CVG), Clairvest invests both its own capital and that of institutional co-investors, fostering strong alignment with management teams. The firm has over CAD $4 billion (US$2.9 billion) in capital under management across 65+ investments. Clairvest’s team of seasoned professionals brings a mix of operational and financial expertise, enabling hands-on collaboration with portfolio companies.
Focus: Clairvest targets majority investments in North American mid-market companies with enterprise values between CAD $50 million and $300 million (US$34 million–$200 million). The firm focuses on sectors where it has deep domain knowledge and repeatable success, including gaming, healthcare, waste management, environmental services, aerospace, and IT services.
Overview: Imperial Capital Group is a Toronto-based private equity firm founded in 1989, focused on building exceptional businesses in the North American lower mid-market. With more than three decades of experience and CAD $3.5 billion (US$2.5 billion) in assets under management, Imperial Capital partners with entrepreneurs and management teams to support long-term growth. The firm is known for its collaborative approach, deep operational engagement, and track record of scaling companies across a diverse range of industries.
Focus: Imperial Capital targets majority investments in North American companies with enterprise values typically between CAD $50 million and $300 million (US$34 million–$200 million). The firm focuses on sectors including healthcare services, business and consumer services, and value-added distribution. Imperial looks for businesses with strong market positions, predictable cash flows, and significant growth potential, whether organic or through acquisitions.
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