14 septembre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR

Here’s why Canada’s defence industry is such an innovation powerhouse

In late 2011, the Department of National Defence decided that the rafts it was using to carry out search and rescue operations in open water were due for an update.

Part of DND's sea rescue kit, the new rafts needed to be compact and durable, but they also had to inflate reliably at temperatures as low as -50 C in the frozen expanses of Canada's North. If they didn't, lives could hang in the balance.

Enter Benoit Corbeil and his team at Tulmar Safety Systems, who found a way to create a light, durable raft that could be safely airdropped, and would inflate manually on the ice or automatically in water. With a fully enclosed canopy, those rescued can now be immediately sheltered from the cold wind and freezing ocean spray.

The responsibility to save lives is what drives people like Benoit and thousands of other Canadians working in the defence and security industries to continue creating innovative solutions to complex problems.

In my role as the head of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), I'm often struck by the sheer level of creativity and talent in our sector. But it shouldn't come as a surprise because we've been gathering evidence on this for a few years now.

Flexible, collaborative and fruitful

In May, CADSI – in partnership with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Statistics Canada – released the latest State of Canada's Defence Industry report. We found that defence and security companies were behind $400 million worth of research and development (R&D) in 2016, resulting in an R&D intensity close to 4.5 times higher than the Canadian manufacturing average.

Our members – now more than 900 of them across Canada – aren't doing this work in a vacuum, of course. They are collaborating with partners in academia, government and supply chains to push boundaries and develop brand new technologies.

DND's new Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program will help encourage even more of this type of cooperation, allocating $1.6 -billion over two decades to innovative solutions that address Canada's defence and security challenges. Sixteen initial challenges have been identified, and start-ups, SMEs, corporations and academics have all been invited to apply. The first contracts were awarded in August, with more coming in fall 2018.

But our industry's work is already having tangible, real-world impacts for average Canadians. In July, for instance, global satellite operator Telesat – a company headquartered right in Ottawa – launched the Telstar 19 VANTAGE. This powerful satellite will connect communities across Nunavut with faster and more reliable broadband, opening the territory to the world. We featured Telesat vice-president Michele Beck's contributions to this project in our My North, My Home campaign.

Full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heres-why-canadas-defence-industry-innovation-cianfarani/

Sur le même sujet

30 avril 2019 | Local, Naval

Government of Canada awards contract for acquisition of four naval large tugs
GATINEAU, QC, April 29, 2019 /CNW/ - The National Shipbuilding Strategy continues to deliver on its commitment to equip the Royal Canadian Navy with the ships needed to serve Canadians, while bringing jobs and prosperity to communities across the country and revitalizing our marine industry. Today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, announced that Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of National Defence, has awarded a contract of $102 million (including taxes) to Ocean Industries Inc., from Isle‑aux-Coudres, Quebec, for the acquisition of four tugs. These new tugs will provide towing, firefighting and other critical support services to both the Atlantic and Pacific Maritime Forces. They will replace the Royal Canadian Navy's five civilian-crewed Glen-class large tugs and two Fire-class rescue boats. This contract will help sustain or create up to 140 jobs for Ocean Industries Inc. and its subcontractors. Quotes "The Government of Canada is committed to equipping the women and men of the Royal Canadian Navy with the ships they need to carry out their important work. Today's announcement is yet another example of how the National Shipbuilding Strategy is supporting jobs and prosperity in communities across Canada, including in Quebec." The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine "Large tugs are an essential part of the auxiliary fleet that supports the Royal Canadian Navy. They help berth our warships as they arrive from operations or as they leave to support our allies. The Government of Canadais providing the Royal Canadian Navy with the equipment they need to fulfill the missions we ask of them. Furthermore, this defence contract to build four large tugs in Canada will contribute to growing our economy and strengthening our middle class." The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan Minister of National Defence "We're very pleased to have obtained this contact to complete this project at our shipyard in Isle-aux-Coudres in the Charlevoix region. Though we've built a lot of ships, this is the most important contract ever taken on by Ocean Industries Inc. Today, it's our advanced expertise as a builder and naval tug operator that is recognized by the federal government. We worked hard to present the federal government with a competitive offer, and we're pleased that our efforts are materializing in these initial significant economic results for our company related to the National Shipbuilding Strategy." Jacques Tanguay President and Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Group Quick facts Two of these tugs will go to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt in British Columbia. The other two will be delivered to CFB Halifax in Nova Scotia. The first two tugs are scheduled to be delivered in 2021. The last two tugs will be delivered in 2023. Canada has applied a voluntary set-aside for the Aboriginal participation component at 1% of the contract value. Related products Royal Canadian Navy Ocean Industries Inc. Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/government-of-canada-awards-contract-for-acquisition-of-four-naval-large-tugs-806906347.html
6 septembre 2017 | Local, Aérospatial

Press Release - Omni-Lite Industries Reports Strong Six Month Financial Results and Significant New Orders
For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Omni-Lite Industries Canada Inc. is pleased to report revenue of $3,479,191 US. https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/09/06/1108409/0/en/Omni-Lite-Industries-Reports-Strong-Six-Month-Financial-Results-and-Significant-New-Orders.html
17 janvier 2020 | Local, Aérospatial

Maxar selling MDA to NPC
Maxar announced it signed a definitive agreement to sell its Canadian business, MDA, to Northern Private Capital (NPC). You can read the details in our press release. I would like to assure you that MDA is committed to continuously delivering the high-quality of service that our customers expect. Maxar and MDA will continue normal operations through the expected close of the transaction, which we believe will happen within 12 months, after the standard U.S. and Canadian regulatory approval. After the close, the MDA team will operate as a private, stand-alone company within NPC's portfolio, retaining its name and standing as the leading space and defence company in Canada. MDA will remain an important business partner and supplier to Maxar, and Maxar will be MDA's largest customer. Additionally, the companies will continue to sell each other's complementary satellite data. NPC is a Toronto-based investment firm led by John Risley and Andrew Lapham. It has created a Canadian investment fund to finance this transaction. NPC views Canada's renewed commitment to utilizing space for its civil and defence needs as a strong opportunity to bring MDA home to Canada. MDA will remain dedicated to its work for the Canadian government and as a merchant supplier to the international community. Maxar's leadership team and Board of Directors believe this transaction best positions Maxar for growth in the future. Once closed, it will enable Maxar to reduce its debt load and focus on substantial growth opportunities in its core markets of Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure. And likewise, MDA will be able to focus on capturing large, Canadian programs in the future, in addition to addressing commercial and export markets.

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