Today, Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), joined CSA President Lisa Campbell and the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Dr. Josef Aschbacher, at the John H. Chapman Space Centre (the CSA's headquarters in Longueuil). The two heads of space agencies signed a joint statement reaffirming Canada and ESA's unique, proven and productive partnership. This signature marks a key milestone in the mid-term review of the Canada-ESA Cooperation Agreement.
For nearly 50 years, the Canada-ESA Cooperation Agreement has advanced Canadian innovation and expertise on the world stage. Canada's unique status as ESA's only non-European cooperating state gives Canadian companies privileged access to the European space market. Every dollar awarded to Canadian companies through ESA contracts generates nearly three dollars in return, benefitting Canadian businesses and injecting value into the Canadian economy.
This collaboration helps Canada's space sector build long-term relationships with the European space community and contributes to strengthening innovation, competitiveness, and technological capabilities. It has propelled numerous Canadian organizations to the forefront of their fields, positioning Canadian expertise at the heart of bold international space missions.
Dr. Aschbacher's visit to Canada was a unique and timely opportunity to underscore the deep ties between the space programs of Canada and Europe and to emphasize the shared commitment to fortifying their alliance in order to accelerate and grow their respective space sectors. As Canada looks to strengthen its ties with like-minded countries, including those in Europe, this longstanding partnership provides an opportunity and a proven path for Canada to bolster diversification of the space sector for the benefit of Canadians.
