Canada’s leading space innovators today announced the formation of Space Canada, a new national industry association that will offer a united voice for Canada’s space sector and take it to new heights. Brian Gallant, the former premier of New Brunswick, is the founding organization’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
The formation of Space Canada coincides with the rapid growth of the global space economy, the growing awareness of how space technologies help solve today’s most pressing economic, societal, and planetary challenges, and the increasing strategic importance of space to governments worldwide.
“It is such an honor to lead Space Canada as CEO and to work with some of the most visionary and innovative leaders in the global space sector,” said Brian Gallant, CEO of Space Canada. “Investments in space create high-quality STEM jobs of the future and play a significant role in addressing economic, societal and planetary challenges like climate change. Space technology monitors our land ecosystems and coastlines, supports disaster relief and protects our oceans and forests. Moreover, space can close the digital divide, particularly in our Northern, remote and rural communities, and enhance our national security.”
The increasing recognition of the power of space is one of the reasons why the new space economy is growing so rapidly and why governments around the world are investing heavily in their domestic space industries and space programs. Today, there is a high stakes global space race underway, and Canada needs to position itself for leadership in this highly strategic sector. This will require government and industry leaders to strengthen collaboration and prioritize space at the highest levels of government.
To facilitate this, Space Canada strongly encourages the federal government to create a National Space Council akin to what the United States and United Kingdom currently have to guide their space policies and investments. This Space Council should be chaired by the Prime Minister – such as in the UK – and be formed with relevant cabinet ministers and industry leaders in partnership.
There are nine highly innovative and world-leading founding members of Space Canada: Calian, GHGSat, Magellan Aerospace, Maritime Launch Services, MDA, Mission Control, NorthStar Earth & Space, SpaceBridge and Telesat. With this solid foundation, the association aspires to expand its membership to include the full breadth of companies in the space sector and associated ecosystem from across the country.
Chairing the inaugural Board of Directors of the association is Dan Goldberg, CEO of Telesat, with Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA, as Vice-Chair, and Ewan Reid, CEO of Mission Control Space Services, as Treasurer.
“The global space sector is experiencing exponential growth and governments all around the world are prioritizing and investing heavily in the sector, triggering a new global space race,” said Dan Goldberg, CEO of Telesat and Chair of Space Canada. “Fortunately, Canada has long been a leader in the space sector and is well positioned to capture the explosive growth in the industry to grow our economy and create high quality jobs. Now is the time to be ambitious, work together and position Canada at the forefront of the New Space Economy.”
“From small to large, Canada’s space companies are looking to position the sector as a driver of growth, jobs, innovation, intellectual property and exports that will contribute to a future for our country that knows no bounds,” said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA and Vice-Chair of Space Canada. “It is time to re-establish Canada’s leadership in space on the world stage in collaboration with government, which plays a key role in space as a developer, owner, operator and regulator of space systems, as a funding partner, investor and anchor customer to innovative Canadian space companies.”
Space Canada represents Canada’s space innovators and associated ecosystem to convey the value of space technology, research, investment and results to domestic and international audiences, and to position Canada at the forefront of the highly strategic global New Space Economy. From vibrant start-ups to large global companies, Space Canada’s members are designing, building and implementing innovative new solutions on and around our planet from launch to space-based communications, space exploration, environmental monitoring and Earth observation, among many other applications. Canadian space innovators support tens of thousands of highly qualified people across Canada, largely in STEM, and contribute billions to Canada’s GDP each year.