Canada’s biggest arms expo is booming as Carney prioritizes defence
Organizers expect up to 20,000 registered attendees as companies seek contracts and partnerships amid Ottawa’s push to expand defence spending.
- Hundreds of military equipment companies gather this week at Ottawa's Cohere Centre for CANSEC, with organizers expecting as many as 20,000 registered attendees—a 20 to 40 per cent increase forecasting surging defence sector interest.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney's campaign last year on Buy Canadian policies and reducing U.S.-bound defence dollars has now captured industry attention, ramping spending to levels unseen since the 1980s after Cold War neglect.
- The Liberal government's Defence Industrial Strategy targets more than $5.1 billion in annual revenues for domestic firms and projects roughly 125,000 new jobs, while the air force plans six radar surveillance planes and the navy seeks up to 12 submarines.
- Christyn Cianfarani, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, said the government is following ambitions with "concrete actions to make things happen," noting she has "never seen such Canadian pride" in the sector.
- While industry has heard Carney's vision for defence, it has yet to see tangible results; the F-35 review stretched past one year, as Middle East conflict and Ukraine's drone advancements reshape industry priorities.
28 Articles
28 Articles
CANSEC expo is booming as Carney prioritizes defence
Canada’s biggest arms expo is booming as an uncertain geopolitical climate and the federal government’s drive to rebuild the military combine to light a fire under the defence tech sector. Hundreds of military equipment companies will jostle to sell their wares this week at CANSEC, an annual event in the nation’s capital that forecasts a 20 to 40 per cent increase in attendance this year. “There’s a belief this government wants to see action on …
The Toronto Star
Canada’s biggest arms expo is booming as Carney prioritizes defence
OTTAWA - Canada's biggest arms expo is booming as an uncertain geopolitical climate and the federal government's drive to rebuild the military combine to light a fire under the defence
May 27, 2026 Ottawa, Ontario – In an increasingly dangerous and divided world, Canada must be prepared to defend itself and protect its Allies. To this end, Canada’s new government has invested over $65 billion in defence and security over the past…
Cdn. arms expo is booming as Carney prioritizes defence
Canada’s biggest arms expo is booming as an uncertain geopolitical climate and the federal government’s drive to rebuild the military combine to light a fire under the defence tech sector. Hundreds of military equipment companies will jostle to sell their wares this week at CANSEC, an annual event in the nation’s capital that forecasts a 20 to 40 per cent increase in attendance this year. “There’s a belief this government wants to see action on …
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