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ARTICLE · 29 APRIL 2026

Canada May Finally Have A Space Launch Law – And It Cannot Come Soon Enough

McMillan LLP
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Bill C-28 intends to support the creation of sovereign launch capacity in Canada through comprehensive space launch legislation. This analysis unpacks the bill's key provisions and examines critical related aerospace market developments that position Canada to finally establish domestic space launch capabilities.

CanadaTransport
Christie Gibson
Christie Gibson
Andrea Sepinwall
Andrea Sepinwall
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Canada has long punched above its weight in space. Canadarm 1 on the Space Shuttle. Canadarm 2 on the International Space Station. Canadarm 3 joining NASA’s Artemis lunar missions. And just this month, astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed a successful trip around the moon. Canada’s space credentials are impeccable — yet until now, Canada has been the only G7 nation without sovereign launch capacity, meaning the ability to reach orbit and beyond from its own soil, on its own terms.

That is finally changing.

On April 21, 2026, the Minister of Transportation and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons introduced Bill C-28: An Act to amend the Aeronautics Act and other Acts — better known as the Canadian Space Launch Act. This is not a patchwork fix. It is Canada’s first comprehensive, purpose-built legal framework for the space industry, replacing a fragmented regime that relied on temporary Transport Canada programs and the aging Remote Sensing Space Systems Act of 2005.

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The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.

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