Ottawa commits $200M toward Canadian satellite launch pad in Nova Scotia

The federal government says it will invest $200 million over the next decade to secure access to a Canadian-owned satellite launch pad in Nova Scotia, part of a broader effort to build domestic space and defence capabilities.

Defence Minister David McGuinty announced the initiative Monday at a laboratory operated by the Canadian Space Agency in Ottawa. The funding will be used to lease a launch pad near Canso that Ottawa says will form the foundation for a future Canadian spaceport.

Canada currently relies on other countries, primarily the United States, to send satellites into orbit because it does not have its own launch infrastructure.

Federal officials say the project is tied to the government’s plan to strengthen Canada’s domestic defence and aerospace sectors and reduce reliance on foreign launch services.

The federal government’s 2025 budget allocated $183 million over three years to begin establishing sovereign space launch capability, a step Ottawa says is intended to support national security, satellite operations and commercial space activity.