The federal government is putting $200 million toward a Canadian-owned launch pad to send satellites into orbit.
Launch pad near Canso, N.S., will serve as foundation for future spaceport
Kyle Duggan · The Canadian Press · Posted: Mar 16, 2026 11:31 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
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Minister of National Defence David McGuinty speaks at an announcement on Canada’s sovereign space program, with parliamentary secretary Jenna Sudds, left, and Space Canada CEO Brian Gallant, right, at the Canadian Space Agency’s David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa on Monday. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
The federal government is putting $200 million toward a Canadian-owned launch pad to send satellites into orbit.
Ottawa will use the funds over the next decade to lease a space launch pad near Canso, N.S. — a small community on the northeast tip of the province’s mainland — which will serve as the foundation for a future spaceport.
Defence Minister David McGuinty announced the project on Monday at a Canadian Space Agency lab in the nation’s capital.
Canada does not currently have the ability to launch space projects on its own and has relied on the United States to get its satellites into space.
WATCH | Defence minister announces $200M for launch pad:
Defence minister announces $200M for Canadian-owned space launch pad in Nova Scotia
Minister of National Defence David McGuinty announced on Monday that Ottawa is investing $200 million over 10 years to lease a dedicated space launch pad near Canso, N.S., with the aim of establishing the foundation for a future spaceport for Canada and its allies.
The initiative is part of the Liberal government’s new strategy to build up the domestic defence industry.
The 2025 budget earmarked $183 million over the next three years for establishing sovereign space launch capabilities.
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