Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, together with the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement), announced that the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) will invest over $900 million under Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy, a long-term plan to support national prosperity and build a resilient domestic defence economy. Through the strategy, the Government of Canada is accelerating the development of defence and dual-use technologies to ensure Canada meets our defence needs and to build a globally competitive Canadian defence sector.
Building on its long-standing collaboration with the Department of National Defence (DND) and industry partners, the NRC will:
- Grow domestic capacity in drone and aerospace technologies, including the creation of the Drone Innovation Hub, and acquire a new Canadian-built Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft that will be used for defence-related technology development with industry and academia
- Support Canadian businesses developing dual-use technology through Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist), a new stream under the NRC's Industrial Research Assistance Program
- Accelerate research and development in biomedical countermeasures
- Reinforce Canada's edge in quantum technologies for defence application
Through this investment, the NRC will collaborate with businesses and research institutions to advance Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy, strengthening national security, fostering economic prosperity and reinforcing key industrial capabilities. These initiatives will help the NRC to drive innovation that protects Canadians and keeps Canadian businesses at the forefront of defence technology.
Today's announcement reflects the Government of Canada's sustained action to strengthen the industrial foundations that support Canada's security and economic resilience. By aligning long-term defence investments with industrial capability, Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy will create high-quality jobs and new opportunities for Canadians across the country, strengthen domestic supply chains, position Canada's defence sector for long-term growth and reinforce Canada as a trusted partner to its allies.
The Government of Canada is pursuing a long-term, whole-of-government approach to strengthening the defence industrial base as a pillar of national security, economic resilience and prosperity.
