ATLANTIC CANADA: AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

A Sky
Without Limits

The perfect testing ground for land-based vehicles, Atlantic Canada also has sky-high skills in aircraft repair and maintenance, along with serious smarts in sensors and simulations.

ATLANTIC CANADA'S AEROSPACE & DEFENCE SECTOR

Aerospace and defence industries generate $1.3 billion in direct contribution to Atlantic Canada’s GDP.

Expanding this to include indirect and induced impacts, the industries’ overall economic impact on regional GDP is $2.42 billion.

The region has a successful track record working with the European Space Agency.

Between 2014 and 2020, Canada experienced a 40 percent increase in the value of foreign direct investments, indicating investor confidence in Canada.

Since 2009, the four provinces in Atlantic Canada have received 12 percent of foreign direct investments in these sectors. Twice the concentration of investment compared to the CDN average.

Research and development tax credits are available at both the federal and some provincial levels.

SUBSECTOR

Ground Vehicle
Testing

Providing ideal conditions for harsh weather testing, an abundance of local technical expertise, and easy access to vehicle manufacturers, Atlantic Canada is the perfect testing ground for land-based vehicles. A growing testing hub for the Canadian Armed Forces, the region is also pushing technical advances such as advanced batteries and fuel cells for the burgeoning electric vehicle industry.

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul

Positioned at North America’s most easterly edge, Atlantic Canada has a rich history as a hub of transatlantic air travel. Today, it has built on these foundations to become a globally relevant Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) centre. Adept at servicing, maintaining, repairing, inspecting, and testing aircraft, the region is a specialist MRO for cold weather conditions with particular expertise in turboprop aircraft.

Information Security (Defence)

Fast becoming one of Canada’s most significant tech clusters, the Atlantic region is gaining a reputation as a reliable player in the information security field. With strong ties to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-compatible industry; solid partnerships with research and development facilities; a highly skilled, bilingual talent base; and a low cost of living compared to tech hubs elsewhere, the region is well positioned to lead the way as we see renewed global emphasis on critical infrastructure information security following successful attacks in recent years.

Sensors and Simulations

With a major regional presence of both land and maritime forces with a near-constant need for training and simulations, it’s little wonder that Atlantic Canada is at the forefront of these technologies. Its training and development centres are among the best in the world. Meanwhile, the region is uniquely positioned to serve the increasing need for Atlantic and Arctic maritime surveillance.

Cold Weather Testing

It gets cold in Atlantic Canada. Real cold. And that makes it the perfect place to test sensitive equipment that needs to operate in difficult conditions. Positioned at the intersection of the North Atlantic and the Arctic, the region is home to world-leading cold ocean expertise and testing facilities, along with established training centres for the Canadian Armed Forces, the Allies, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

HOW IT'S DONE:

ATLANTIC CANADA'S AEROSPACE & DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE

Relatively lower wages make Atlantic Canada an attractive proposition for businesses. Meanwhile, Canada’s immigration-friendly outlook makes it easier to source skilled workers—and programs are in place to expedite skilled guest-workers’ entry into the country. For those local up and comers into the industry, world-class training programs provide ample opportunity to learn and advance skills, both military and civilian. Here is a snapshot of Atlantic Canada’s aerospace and defence workforce and labour supply.




The aerospace and defence industries combined account for direct employment of approximately 9,600 people and over 22,500 when including indirect employment.


Atlantic Canada employs 14 percent of the total Canadian defence industry and 16 percent of the total Canadian aerospace industry.


Regional assets include a very highly skilled IT workforce that is significantly more cost-effective than those found in other major urban centres


Atlantic Canada has a strong reputation with U.S. and European military manufacturers. Companies in the region are seen as reliable partners by their foreign counterparts, both in terms of security and of capabilities.


Thanks to the region’s strong historical support for Canadian Armed Forces, and a long-established military presence, there is a significant knowledge base for both ground and maritime systems among the available workforce.


The region’s highly specialized cluster of military simulation providers fits perfectly with the regional ecosystem’s training requirements for existing military personnel and allows crossover with the strong cyber security and IT presence.


Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations in the region benefit from one of the lowest-cost environments in North America.


The region is home to established and effective military training facilities, serving the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Allies, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).


WHERE IT'S DONE:

ATLANTIC CANADA'S AEROSPACE & DEFENCE INSTITUTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

From internationally recognized military bases like Gander and Gagetown to world renowned companies like Boeing, Bombardier, General Electric, IBM, and Lockheed Martin — Atlantic Canada is at the forefront of aerospace and defence. Its industry association, Atlantic Canada Aerospace and Defence Association (ACADA), is comprised of 170+ industry members and organizations across the region.

Research and Innovation

University of Moncton

Robotics and Electronics Laboratory


How it's done:

ATLANTIC CANADA'S AEROSPACE & DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE

Relatively lower wages make Atlantic Canada an attractive proposition for businesses. Meanwhile, Canada’s immigration-friendly outlook makes it easier to source skilled workers—and programs are in place to expedite skilled guest-workers’ entry into the country. For those local up and comers into the industry, world-class training programs provide ample opportunity to learn and advance skills, both military and civilian. Here is a snapshot of Atlantic Canada’s aerospace and defence workforce and labour supply.




The aerospace and defence industries combined account for direct employment of approximately 9,600 people and over 22,500 when including indirect employment.


Atlantic Canada employs 14 percent of the total Canadian defence industry and 16 percent of the total Canadian aerospace industry.


Regional assets include a very highly skilled IT workforce that is significantly more cost-effective than those found in other major urban centres


Atlantic Canada has a strong reputation with U.S. and European military manufacturers. Companies in the region are seen as reliable partners by their foreign counterparts, both in terms of security and of capabilities.


Thanks to the region’s strong historical support for Canadian Armed Forces, and a long-established military presence, there is a significant knowledge base for both ground and maritime systems among the available workforce.


The region’s highly specialized cluster of military simulation providers fits perfectly with the regional ecosystem’s training requirements for existing military personnel and allows crossover with the strong cyber security and IT presence.


Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations in the region benefit from one of the lowest-cost environments in North America.


The region is home to established and effective military training facilities, serving the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Allies, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).



Where it's done:

ATLANTIC CANADA'S AEROSPACE & DEFENCE INSTITUTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

From internationally recognized military bases like Gander and Gagetown to world renowned companies like Boeing, Bombardier, General Electric, IBM, and Lockheed Martin — Atlantic Canada is at the forefront of aerospace and defence. Its industry association, Atlantic Canada Aerospace and Defence Association (ACADA), is comprised of 170+ industry members and organizations across the region.

Research and Innovation

University of Moncton

Robotics and Electronics Laboratory

Businesses and Associations



Keeping Good Company


Many global companies and institutions have seen the benefits of working in partnership with Atlantic Canadian companies. World-leading energy companies, the European Space Agency and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) are just a few of the key players. Take a look at some of those big names.

SUCCESS STORIES:

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A Place Among the Stars


Atlantic Canadian company among world’s elite in Earth observation


St. John’s-based tech company C-CORE was one of only 8 companies to be awarded competitive Canadian Space Agency (CSA) contracts announced in late 2020. The contract firmly places C-CORE amid giants in the Earth-observation sector of the space industry, with other contracts being awarded to companies such as the German behemoth Airbus, and British Columbia-based MDA Systems.


“C-CORE had the right mix of experience and expertise, and proposed a strong methodology. And we felt we wanted to get them on board,” said Éric Dubuc, Senior Engineer of Project Management at the CSA.


“C-CORE had the right mix of experience and expertise, and proposed a strong methodology.”
— Éric Dubuc, Senior Engineer of Project Management, CSA


The entire breadth of Earth observation in Canada


The $350,000 contracts all come with the same scope of work: to develop concepts for the future of Earth observation from space.

“This contract that we're working on will look at the entire breadth of Earth observation in Canada, from those pretty satellite images, to radar, to a whole bunch of other sensors that Canada can use to ensure safety, sovereignty, mapping — a whole myriad of different things that Canada is interested in,” said Desmond Power, Vice President of Remote Sensing at C-CORE. “We are very fortunate as a Newfoundland and Labrador-based company to be able to influence that. (It’s a) very big deal to be able to do that.”


CSA currently has three Earth-observation satellites in space as part of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. They generate roughly 250,000 images per year of Canada’s land and oceans. The data from those images helps more than 90 national programs gather essential information, such as environmental data, information to help emergency teams during natural disasters, and the detection of ships.


C-CORE does this kind of work regularly, such as gathering information about ice — whether it’s pinpointing iceberg locations or monitoring rivers such as The Exploits River for ice jams — as well as mapping wetlands for Natural Resources Canada and the City of St. John’s.


“There's so much that can be done with satellites that impact ordinary people,” said Power.


A signature in space

He said C-CORE’s space-based Earth-observation capabilities have taken off in the last 20 years. In the last decade alone, he figures the company has worked on more than 100 projects related to Earth observation, and it currently has a $10 million project with Airbus and the European Space Agency.


Why this $350,000 contract is such a big deal for C-CORE, however, is simple:


“We get to influence how space happens in Canada over the next decade.”
— Desmond Power, Vice President of Remote Sensing, C-CORE


“I want our signature in space. I want a company from Newfoundland and Labrador with our fingerprints out in space, doing important work for the country.”


Power said C-CORE wants to shape the future of Earth observation in Canada so Newfoundland and Labrador can become a bigger contributor and expand local expertise. “That translates into more jobs for the province that's non-traditional to us. You look at Newfoundland and Labrador, and what are we known for? Oil and gas, fisheries, mining, resources, that kind of thing. Nobody really says ‘space’ when they think of Newfoundland and Labrador, but that's where I want to take us.”


“I want to take us in a direction (that’s) non-traditional, not dependent on traditional resources, (with) highly qualified people, high-paying jobs — highly valuable jobs. That's what I want us to be known for.”


As for what the CSA expects from these contracts, Dubuc said they’re open-minded.


“Hopefully we’ll be surprised.”


However, he said there’s a demand for satellites to have improved capabilities to look over specific areas more frequently and with greater precision.

Setting the Standard with 1,000 Engines in a Year


PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND’S StandardAero hits impressive annual milestone

StandardAero’s engine overhaul facility in Summerside, PEI finished 2019 on a high, inducting over 1,000 Pratt & Whitney PW100, PT6A, and JT15D engines over the course of the year. This record figure was achieved following an expansion to the facility, StandardAero’s commercial turboprop engine MRO Centre of Excellence, which saw the site expand its shop floor area to over 226,000 sq. ft. of leased space. The facility, located at the Summerside airport in Slemon Park, also grew its workforce to approximately 500 employees as a result of the expansion.


Engine number 1,000

The 1,000th engine to be inducted was a PW121 for long-standing regional airline customer Air Creebec, in support of the airline’s fleet of de Havilland Canada Dash 8 turboprop aircraft. Air Creebec is based in Val-d'Or, Quebec, and operates regularly scheduled flights, charter, and freight services to 16 destinations in Québec and Ontario.


Commenting on the milestone achievement, Jeff Poirier, VP/GM of the Summerside facility, said, “This record total of 1,000 engine inductions during 2019 is a testament to the dedication and customer focus of our Summerside team, which has stepped up to meet every challenge asked of it this year. The team has justified the recent additional investment made by StandardAero into the site and continues to provide unrivaled customer service to our customers.”


“This record total of 1,000 engine inductions during 2019 is a testament to the dedication and customer focus of our Summerside team.”
— Jeff Poirier, Vice President/General Manager, StandardAero MRO Centre of Excellence


Designated Overhaul Facility

StandardAero supports the global PW100 operator community as a Pratt & Whitney Canada Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) from locations in Summerside, PE, Canada; Gonesse, France; and the PW150A operator community from Seletar, Singapore, supported by seven service centre locations across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.


StandardAero is also a PT6A DOF with distribution rights on certain engine models, supporting customers from four DOFs located in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australasia, backed up by a global network of seven service centres and over twenty dedicated mobile repair technicians. StandardAero’s Summerside location is also a DOF for the JT15D business jet engine, which is supported by four service centre locations worldwide.


With more than 25 years of reliable turboprop experience, StandardAero provides operators with a nose-to-tail suite of services, including repair capabilities, engine exchanges, rentals, and Engine Condition Trend Monitoring (ECTM) analysis.


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OTHER POWERFUL SECTORS

Energy Innovation

Atlantic Canada is a leader in 21st-century energy solutions. From harnessing wind power to exploring the potential of small nuclear reactors, the region is at the forefront of driving efficient and sustainable energy solutions from generation to distribution.

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Cyber Technology

Fast becoming one of Canada’s most significant tech clusters, Atlantic Canada has its finger on the pulse of information security, critical infrastructure security, and financial technology.

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Ocean Expertise

A multi-billion-dollar aquaculture industry is just the tip of the iceberg. Atlantic Canada is also at the forefront of ocean technology, oil and gas, and shipbuilding.

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THE REGION

The Power of
Atlantic Canada


As we enter an era of a truly global economy, there is a place positioned for success — to the power of 4. Ever at the forefront of exploration and innovation, the four distinct provinces of Atlantic Canada form one powerful alliance.

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