Canada reached the moon but still lacks its own way to space. Canada is the only country in the G7 that does not have space launch capabilities and must rely on foreign countries, most often the United States, to reach orbit. In a more uncertain and competitive world, Canada cannot rely on others to secure access to space for our economy, our defence, and our future.
Today, the Minister of Transport and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, introduced the Canadian Space Launch Act to deliver Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities. The Act would enable the government to safely regulate and oversee space launch and re-entry activities conducted from Canadian territory, while also establishing the necessary authorities to provide regulatory certainty to industry, support investment and infrastructure development, and strengthen Canada's ability to meet its international obligations related to space.
Establishing Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities would drive billions in investments, create good paying jobs, increase Canada's sovereignty, reduce our economy's reliance on the United States, and support a commercial space launch and re-entry industry that could be worth $40 billion.
The Canadian Space Launch Act's regulatory framework is key to securing our place in the rapidly growing global space economy while building on Canada's historic contributions to humanity's space innovations. This positions Canada to meet strategic needs, enhance resilience of critical infrastructure and other systems that rely on space assets, while fueling domestic innovation and industry growth and positioning Canada for renewed economic and security partnerships with allies.
Canada must be ambitious to have better control over its launches and stronger measures to reduce costly delays that leave critical infrastructure exposed to decisions beyond our control. As Canada develops greater launch and re-entry capabilities, these provide new opportunities for partnerships, collaboration and capacity building in Canada and with other nations around the world.
