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ARTICLE · 30 JUNE 2026

Open For Business: Ontario’s New Defence Sector Opportunities

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On May 28, Ontario announced a Framework for its Defence Industrial Strategy. The strategy aims to leverage the province’s manufacturing base, technology sector, and skilled workforce to attract more defence firms and adjacent businesses.

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Marcia Mills
Marcia Mills
Andrew House
Andrew House
Kieran Moloney
Kieran Moloney
Olivia Elliot
Olivia Elliot
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On May 28, Ontario announced a Framework for its Defence Industrial Strategy. The strategy aims to leverage the province’s manufacturing base, technology sector, and skilled workforce to attract more defence firms and adjacent businesses.

The province is prepared to deploy public funding and remove regulatory hurdles in hopes that defence-sector growth will generate up to 43,000 new jobs by 2035 and contribute $6 billion to the provincial economy.

What We Know About Ontario's Framework

The four pillars of Ontario’s defence economy

The Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy is anchored by four pillars:

  1. Strengthen the Industrial Base: Securing a larger share of rising federal and allied defence spending by supporting prime contractors and SMEs and expanding industrial capacity.1

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