Historic $200 million investment positions Nova Scotia spaceport as cornerstone of Canada’s defence capabilities

From: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

News release

Investment will support rocket launches from Canadian soil, strengthen national security, and create economic opportunity for Atlantic Canadians

March 16, 2026 · Halifax, Nova Scotia · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

Amid a more complex and unpredictable security environment, Canada is taking decisive actions to strengthen its security and sovereignty and to reinforce the resilience and long-term strength of the country. The Government of Canada is responding by rebuilding and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and strengthening the defence industrial base.

Through Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy, the government is aligning long-term defence investments with industrial capability to support Canadian businesses, strengthen supply chains, and reinforce Canada’s role as a trusted ally. These general investments will modernize Canada’s defence ecosystem, create good, well-paying jobs, and ensure Canada has the tools and infrastructure needed to protect its security and operate independently in critical sectors like space.

In Atlantic Canada, this includes targeted investments that are supporting local companies, creating jobs, and building long-term industrial capacity. Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced a historic $200 million federal investment in a multi-user spaceport near Canso, Nova Scotia. A spaceport is a launch site for rockets carrying satellites into orbit. Once operational, the Canso facility will allow satellites to be launched directly from Canadian soil.

This investment is a 10‑year, $200‑million agreement to lease the dedicated space‑launch pad that will serve as the central foundation for a multi-user spaceport. Operated by Maritime Launch Services, this spaceport will support the operational needs of the Department of National Defence (DND), CAF, and the wider Government of Canada, while also offering ad hoc access to allies and partners.

Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in Canada’s sovereign space program as outlined in Security, Sovereignty, Prosperity: Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.

As part of this strategy, Canada’s regional development agencies are delivering the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) to support the growth and integration of businesses into domestic and international defence supply chains, and increase their industrial and innovation capacity.   

Through its core programs and advocacy work, supported by targeted initiatives like the RDII, ACOA is supporting Atlantic Canadian businesses, turning regional strength into global opportunity. These investments are strengthening Atlantic Canada’s industrial capacity, growing Nova Scotia’s role in Canada’s defence industry, and providing Canada with the capabilities it needs to respond to evolving global security challenges while supporting long-term economic growth.

Quotes

“Our federal government is making a historic $200 million investment in Nova Scotia to help establish Spaceport Nova Scotia as a cornerstone of Canada’s future satellite launches. This investment will create good jobs, support innovation, and grow Atlantic Canada’s role in a fast-growing global industry. It will also help Canada rely less on foreign launch sites and build a stronger, more sovereign role in getting satellites into space.”
- The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., Member of Parliament for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

“Today, we build on Canada’s proud legacy as a nation of innovators, explorers, and builders. With this step, we are not only advancing our capabilities here on Earth—we are reaffirming our place among the spacefaring nations shaping the future beyond it. Because in the decades ahead, our security, our prosperity, and our sovereignty will increasingly extend beyond our atmosphere.

Canada will be there.

Ad Astra Defendimus.”
- The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

“Nova Scotia—and Atlantic Canada more broadly—is not a region waiting for opportunity to arrive. We create it. Halifax is already a hub for ocean technology, defence innovation, and advanced research, and the talent that powers those sectors is exactly the talent the new space economy needs. As someone who has spent my career working to connect people to opportunity, I know that the greatest investments we can make are in regions that have the drive, the ingenuity, and the infrastructure to deliver results—and Atlantic Canada is ready to deliver.”
- The Honourable Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada and Member of Parliament for Halifax West

“Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish is the perfect launchpad for low orbit operations, and I’m proud of the role Maritime Launch is playing in building the economy of tomorrow, right here at home."
- Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish

“Located on Canada’s Atlantic coast, Spaceport Nova Scotia offers safe over-ocean launch corridors and access to highly sought-after orbital inclinations, providing a unique capability that only a limited number of global launch locations can support. Spaceport Nova Scotia helps address a global launch capacity bottleneck, where demand for access to orbit continues to outpace available launch infrastructure.”
- Stephen Matier, President & CEO, Maritime Launch Services Inc.

Quick facts

  • These announcements support Security, Sovereignty, Prosperity: Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, which establishes a long-term framework to develop a robust Canadian defence industry. The strategy outlined Space launch as a sovereign capability and committed to prioritizing investments in this area to enhance strategic autonomy and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.

  • In line with the Defence Industrial Strategy, Canada is taking a major step toward securing its future in the rapidly evolving space domain by advancing a core pillar of its emerging sovereign launch program, first outlined in Budget 2025. This effort positions the country to launch satellites and payloads from Canadian soil, on Canadian‑built rockets, at Canadian‑run facilities.

  • Reliable and independent launch access will enable Canada to place critical satellites into orbit even during global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, or disruptions in foreign launch markets.

  • The 10-year lease agreement stipulates that Maritime Launch Services must provide a dedicated launch pad and associated services at an initial operational capability state by the end of 2026. It also stipulates that 90% of the funds received by the company from the lease must be spent in Canada. That means at least $180 million going back to Canadian businesses.

  • The global space economy is expected to reach approximately $2 trillion by 2040. Investing in sovereign launch capability now means that Canadians and their businesses can benefit for decades to come.

  • This investment supports a stronger, more connected Canadian space ecosystem that will help grow high-value jobs, strengthen Canadian supply chains, and position Canadian firms to compete in the global space economy—while supporting defence and security objectives.

  • The $379.2 million Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) is a three-year initiative delivered by Canada’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).

  • ACOA is delivering $38.2 million, over three years, under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII).

  •  To date, ACOA has announced investments of more than $8 million through the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) to support 16 projects in Atlantic Canada.

  • .With more than 200 firms in the defence industry, Atlantic Canada delivers advanced shipbuilding, aircraft and engine maintenance, sonar and acoustic systems, training and simulation, ground vehicle technologies and cyber resilience.

  • Atlantic Canada is home to nearly 10,000 direct aerospace and defence jobs, representing 20% of national defence industry employment.

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Contacts

Lola Dandybaeva
Manager of Media Relations
Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
lola.dandybaeva@justice.gc.ca

Media Relations   
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency  
mediaroom-salledesmedias@acoa-apeca.gc.ca  

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2026-03-16