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StandardAero’s Global Win Strengthens PEI’s Aerospace Advantage

In the heart of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, StandardAero’s presence continues to anchor one of Atlantic Canada’s most advanced aerospace clusters. With a reputation built on technical excellence and precision engineering, the company is helping position PEI as a key player in the global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry.

That reputation just grew stronger. In 2024, Mauritania Airlines, the national flag carrier of Mauritania, selected StandardAero as its exclusive partner for LEAP-1B and CFM56-7B engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul support, the powerful engines that drive Boeing 737 MAX and 737NG aircraft around the world.

Under this agreement, StandardAero will provide full MRO support for Mauritania Airlines’ fleet. Engine work has already begun at the company’s Winnipeg, Manitoba and San Antonio, and Texas facilities, marking another major international milestone for one of Canada’s leading aerospace firms.

While the contract work is focused on these engine centres, it further integrates StandardAero’s Summerside facility in PEI, known as StandardAero Atlantic, into the company’s global support network. The site specializes in component repair, testing, and overhaul for multiple engine types, and acts as a strategic hub within StandardAero’s North American operations.

Building on PEI’s Aerospace Momentum

StandardAero’s Summerside facility currently employs more than 200 highly skilled professionals and is part of a vibrant aerospace ecosystem. The Mauritania Airlines partnership reinforces PEI’s reputation as a trusted contributor to international aerospace programs, bringing indirect economic and workforce benefits through shared expertise, technology transfer, and potential future capacity growth.

StandardAero’s ongoing participation in global engine programs means continued investment in technical training, apprenticeships, and partnerships with local institutions such as Holland College’s Aircraft Turbine Technology program.

From Summerside to San Antonio, StandardAero’s footprint represents Canadian excellence on the world stage. The Mauritania Airlines contract underscores how Atlantic Canada’s aerospace sector is deeply connected to global aviation growth.

NordSpace: Launching Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada, Into a New Space Era

Founded in 2022, NordSpace is a Canadian aerospace company developing the country’s capacity for sovereign access to space. Canada is currently the only G7 nation without a domestic launch capability, and the company’s goal is to help close that gap. Its work reflects a broader effort to strengthen Canada’s independence in space-based activities that support environmental monitoring, national security, and economic development.

Located on the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, NordSpace develops vertically integrated systems for orbital launch vehicles, spaceport operations, turnkey satellites, and mission-critical software. Its technologies are fully designed, built, and tested in Canada, supporting the goal of providing flexible, responsive access to space from domestic launch sites. Their mission is to leverage space innovation to advance life on Earth while contributing to job creation, national security, and Canadian technological sovereignty.

NordSpace’s launch vehicles use non-toxic, conventional fuels and inert materials, and the company is pioneering the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for space launch — a first in the industry. This focus on cleaner propulsion reflects NordSpace’s view that technological advancement and environmental responsibility should progress together.

Atlantic Canada’s Role in Canada’s Space Future

Through satellite and launch technologies, NordSpace’s work directly supports critical national priorities — from tracking whale populations off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to monitoring wildfires, enhancing Arctic security, and supporting precision agriculture across the Prairies.

These capabilities don’t just strengthen Canada’s environmental and defense resilience — they create high-value jobs, research opportunities, and new partnerships in Atlantic Canada’s growing aerospace ecosystem.

NordSpace is as committed to Canada’s future workforce as it is to its national mission. The company supports nearly 15 student teams building rockets, satellites, and rovers across the country and serves as a leading sponsor of the Launch Canada competition and the Canadian International Rover Challenge.

As a proud collaborator with the Government of Canada, Space Canada, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), and the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), NordSpace represents the determination, creativity, and courage that define Atlantic Canada’s role in the nation’s aerospace future.

NATO DIANA: Advancing Global Innovation from Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s position as a hub for defence and technology innovation continues to strengthen with NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) announcing the 14 innovators selected for Phase 2 of its international accelerator programme. The initiative marks a significant step in connecting Atlantic Canada’s innovation ecosystem to a broader network of global defence and resilience research.

A Collaborative Model for Innovation

Based in Halifax, DIANA is a NATO organization designed to find and accelerate dual-use technologies and innovations that can serve both civilian and military applications. Its mission is rooted in building a more secure and peaceful future through science-based collaboration that integrates academia, industry, governments, and not-for-profits.

Working across 32 allied nations, DIANA supports technologies that address a wide range of global challenges, from climate change and energy resilience to food security and defence readiness. Through its network of accelerators, test centres, and end-users, the organization aims to bridge research, innovation, and operational needs within the Alliance.

Strengthening Nova Scotia’s Role

Nova Scotia’s inclusion in DIANA’s expanding network underscores the province’s growing importance in defence, ocean technology, and cybersecurity development. Local innovators and research institutions are positioned to collaborate directly with international partners, testing and scaling technologies that contribute to both national and global security objectives.

By participating in DIANA’s accelerator ecosystem, Nova Scotia joins a community dedicated to advancing responsible innovation— one that recognizes technology’s role not only in defence but also in promoting resilience, prosperity, and peace.

As the Phase 2 innovators move forward, the initiative highlights how global collaboration and regional expertise can work together to shape solutions for a more secure and sustainable world.