Defence and aerospace business opportunities

A service that promotes business development

CED offers consulting services and supports you in your efforts with the various stakeholders in the defense sector. Whether you are an SME, a prime contractor, a research centre or a university involved in the technologies or industrial capabilities listed below, we can help you grow your business.

New program

Defence investment

Support for SMEs to accelerate their integration into defence supply chains.

Key industrial capabilities

Emerging Technologies

Advanced Materials
Artificial Intelligence
Clean Technology
Cyber Resilience
Remotely-piloted Systems and Autonomous Technologies
Space Systems

Leading Competencies and Critical Industrial Services

Aerospace Systems and Components
Armour
Defence Systems Integration
Electro-Optical / Infrared (EO/IR) Systems
Ground Vehicle Solutions
In-Service Support
Marine Ship-Borne Mission and Platform Systems
Munitions
Shipbuilding, Design and Engineering Services
Sonar and Acoustic Systems
Training and Simulation

As the organization that oversees the implementation of the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISEDC), CED is responsible for ensuring that Government of Canada procurement generates economic benefits for Quebec.

Within this context, CED promotes the capacity of Quebec businesses and research centres among contractors that are either interested in bidding on, or have been awarded, a contract for a procurement project worth more than $100 million (with some exceptions) from the Department of National Defence; including the Coast Guard. These contractors are required to carry out commercial activities in Canada (industrial offset) equal to the value of the contracts obtained.

CED support

Working with its federal, provincial and industry partners, and research centres, CED can help you identify business opportunities.

The following are a few examples of the services we offer:

support for businesses to help them better understand the ITB Policy and its requirements
event organization (B2B/B2G), industry days, business visits and regional tours
promotion of the capabilities of Quebec businesses at meetings and at trade shows, and as part of the development of calls for tenders
networking among Canadian suppliers, post-secondary institutions, research centres and contractors in the defence sector

Examples of business opportunities for SMEs:

Supply of parts or components—from the design phase, through assembly to final integration (if applicable)
Technology transfer or investment by a bidding company that has been awarded a contract that is subject to the ITB Policy
Integration into prime contractors’ global supply chains; this may include research, design and production activities
Creation of a consortium made up of a prime contractor, a Quebec business and a qualified research centre

Contact us

Want to learn more about CED's support for the defense and aerospace sector? Would you like to take advantage of these services to develop your business? Interested in the defence sector?

To register in our directory of Quebec companies or to request information on business opportunities in defense and aerospace, contact us at:

Toll free: 1-800-561-0633
ATS: 1-844-805-8727

Useful resources

Public procurement in Canada or internationally

Check out the tender sites you can access to sell your goods and services to Canadian and international governments:
- Government of Canada procurement: CanadaBuys
- Business opportunities published by NATO: NSPA
- Private website that lists public and private tenders: MERX
- There are several other websites where you can view public tenders in Canada, the United States, or internationally.
Major National Defence Acquisition Projects

Learn about major procurement projects, including ships, aircraft, land vehicles, and support systems for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), and other departments.

Learn about major defence contractors that have contractual obligations under the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy in connection with defence procurement projects

Some of these contractors have online registries that allow potential suppliers to preregister.
Certifications and requirements

Your company may need to hold certain certifications depending on the sector in which you operate, the market in which you wish to sell, etc. Check with your industry association.

Three certifications that are often required for defence companies:
- Controlled Goods Program
- Canadian Cybersecurity Certification Program (CCCP) or its counterpart for the US market, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
- Security requirements for contracting with the Government of Canada
Organizations that can help you

Whether federal or provincial government departments, industry partners, or other organizations, explore the resources available to you.
- Industry associations to help you get started in this market and identify business opportunities related to your sector, e.g., STIQ, Aéro Montréal, Naval Québec, Propulsion Québec, CADSI.
- Procurement Assistance Canada and Defence Construction Canada to support companies that want to sell goods and services to the government in defence (e.g., equipment, construction, services for military bases).
- Global Affairs Canada's Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) for companies ready to start international defence initiatives.
- Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) manages the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, which provides five funding mechanisms to help Canadian innovators address some of Canada's most challenging defence and security challenges.
- Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is a NATO incubator and accelerator for companies developing dual-use technologies.
- Investissement Québec International - Regional network (in French only) for companies ready to start operations in Canada and/or internationally in the defence sector.
- Funding for defence projects, for example:
Major defence tradeshows

Here is a list of the main trade shows and events in the defence sector:
- Forum aéro / Aeromart - Montreal — in April/May
- CANSEC - Ottawa — in May
- Le Bourget - Paris — in June (odd-numbered years)
- Eurosatory - Paris — in June (even-numbered years)
- Farnborough - London — in July (even-numbered years)
- DSEI - London — in September (odd-numbered years)
- DEFSEC - Halifax — in September/October
- Canadian Defence and Security Symposium - Montreal — in October
- AUSA - Washington, D.C. — in October
- Contractor and Supplier Day - Montreal — in October
- Euronaval - Paris — in November (even-numbered years)
- I/ITSEC - Orlando — in December
- International WorkBoat Show - New Orleans — in December
Other useful links

Language selection

Search