Ministers Bains and Garneau celebrate $80.9 million for the Canadian Space Agency

Funding will support new projects that will use Canadian innovations in space

April 27, 2017 – Saint-Hubert, Quebec – Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada 

Canada’s space sector develops new technologies that have the potential to advance scientific discovery and improve the lives of Canadians. 

This is why Budget 2017 proposes to provide $80.9 million over five years, starting in 2017–18, to the Canadian Space Agency. These investments will be used to develop emerging technologies, will create more well-paying jobs, will support scientific breakthroughs and will make Canada a world-leading centre for innovation. 

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, was joined by the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and the first Canadian in space, to celebrate the proposed funding at the Canadian Space Agency’s headquarters outside Montréal. 

The funding will support new projects that will demonstrate and utilize Canadian innovations in space: 

• A radar instrument that will be developed for a future orbiter mission to Mars. This instrument would be used to study the surface and subsurface of the red planet. It could contribute to developing a high-resolution map of the surface of Mars and could help identify water resources at shallow depths, which would provide critical geological information for the landing site of future spacecraft to Mars. 

• A demonstration of the applications of quantum technology in space involving the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo. This project will position Canada as a leader in quantum encryption, which uses highly advanced computing technology to create virtually unbreakable security codes. This technology could lead to more secure communications, safer and more reliable government services, and greater protection of Canadians’ privacy. 

In addition to the increased funding it announced in the budget, the Government of Canada recently announced the renewal of the Space Advisory Board. The board will engage with Canadians to develop a new vision for Canada’s space sector and define key elements of a strategy that will be launched this summer. The advisory board’s input will inform the strategy, which will focus on using space to drive broader economic growth and innovation, while inspiring the next generation of space scientists.