You see him on TV, usually in a crisp suit, telling some hopeful entrepreneur that their "idea is a cockroach" and needs to be squashed. It’s classic entertainment. But for Kevin O'Leary, the "Mr. Wonderful" persona isn't just a Hollywood gimmick. It started in a basement in Toronto. And honestly, if you want to understand the current state of kevin o leary canada, you have to look past the Shark Tank memes.
Most people think he’s just a reality star who moved to the States and never looked back. That’s not quite right. Lately, he’s been making some of the biggest moves of his career right back on Canadian soil, specifically in the energy and tech sectors.
The Massive Bet on Alberta's "Wonder Valley"
Think about the sheer amount of power an AI model needs. It’s insane. O’Leary has been vocal lately about the "energy crisis" hitting the U.S. because of the AI boom. His solution? Go north.
He’s heavily involved in a project called the Greenview Industrial Gateway in Alberta. They're calling it "Wonder Valley." It's a $70 billion (yeah, with a "B") AI data-center campus.
Why Alberta? It’s not just the scenery.
- The Grid: Alberta has access to massive amounts of natural gas and potential geothermal energy.
- The Climate: Data centers are basically giant heaters. It's cheaper to cool them when the outside air is freezing half the year.
- The Policy: While he bashes Canadian federal taxes every chance he gets, he’s a huge fan of the provincial business environment in Alberta.
He’s basically betting that the "dirty" work of AI—the massive power consumption—can be solved by Canadian resources. He recently backed a company called Bitzero, which just started trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the ticker BITZ.U. They focus on sustainable blockchain and high-performance computing. He’s putting his money where his mouth is regarding "green" infrastructure, even if he remains a staunch critic of the federal carbon tax.
Why He Still Slams Ottawa Every Week
If you follow him on LinkedIn or X, you’ve seen the rants. Kevin O'Leary and the current Canadian federal government have what you might call a "complicated" relationship. Or, more accurately, he hates their fiscal policy.
He’s been incredibly loud about the capital gains tax changes. To him, it's a "total disaster" for Canadian startups. He argues that if you tax the "exit" (when a founder sells their company), you kill the incentive for them to start it in Canada in the first place.
"Capital is like water. It flows to the path of least resistance."
That’s a classic O’Leary-ism. He’s not wrong that investors are mobile. He often compares Canadian provinces to U.S. states, calling some "winners" and others "losers." In his eyes, Canada has the talent but the "wrong" people running the checkbook. This tension is why many Canadians have a love-hate relationship with him. He’s a patriot who owns three passports (Canada, Ireland, and the UAE), but he’s also a ruthless capitalist who will pull money out of a country in a heartbeat if the math doesn't work.
The 2026 Strategy: Infrastructure and Dividends
If you're looking for actionable moves based on his current playbook, it’s all about cash flow. He’s moved away from speculative tech and is doubling down on "boring" stuff.
He recently listed his top picks for 2026, and they aren't flashy. He’s looking at energy infrastructure and healthcare. In the Canadian context, he’s still a fan of the big banks. Despite the "stupid" trade tensions he often cites between the U.S. and Canada, he views the Canadian banking system as one of the most stable in the world.
His investment firm, O’Leary Ventures, is still scouting Canadian startups, but the bar is higher. He’s looking for "profitable" from day one. He’s done with the "growth at all costs" era. He wants companies that can survive a high-interest-rate environment without needing a constant drip-feed of VC cash.
The Reality of the "Political Outsider"
Remember when he ran for the Conservative leadership in 2017? He still gets asked about it. People wonder if he’ll ever pull a "Trump" and try to lead the country.
Right now? It’s a hard no. He’s realized he has more influence—and way more fun—as a commentator and an "operator" from the outside. Being a politician involves too much "BS," as he puts it. Plus, the Quebec support just wasn't there for him last time. Instead, he’s using his platform to influence policy through public shaming and supporting specific provincial projects that align with his vision of a "competitive" Canada.
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Actionable Takeaways from the O’Leary Playbook
If you’re trying to navigate the Canadian economy like Mr. Wonderful, here is the "non-TV" version of his advice for 2026:
- Focus on Energy: Look at the picks that support AI, not just the AI software itself. Power is the new gold.
- Dividend is King: In a volatile market, he demands to be "paid to wait." If a stock doesn't pay a dividend, he rarely touches it for his personal long-term portfolio.
- Watch the "Exit" Tax: If you’re a founder, talk to a tax pro about the 2024/2025 capital gains changes. It changes the math on how you structure your company.
- Don't ignore the CSE: While everyone looks at the TSX, he’s finding "infrastructure gems" on the smaller Canadian exchanges.
Kevin O'Leary's relationship with Canada is essentially a long-running business negotiation. He loves the resources and the people, but he’s still trying to "close the deal" on better taxes. Whether you find him abrasive or brilliant, you can't ignore the fact that he's pouring billions into Alberta's backyard right now. That says more than any TV segment ever could.
To follow the money yourself, you can track the progress of the Greenview Industrial Gateway or monitor the Bitzero (BITZ.U) filings on the CSE to see if his "Wonder Valley" vision actually gains steam throughout 2026.