New Industry Group ‘Space Canada’ Formed to Advocate for National Space Industry 

Canada’s Parliament Building (Photo: Canadian Government)

Canadian space companies including Telesat, SpaceBridge, and MDA are launching a new industry group for the national space industry called Space Canada. The group said Thursday it will offer a “unified voice” for Canada’s space sector and raise awareness at a time when the industry is experiencing rapid growth. 

Brian Gallant, the former premier of New Brunswick, is the founding CEO, and Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg chairs the board of directors. 

The group is calling for Canada’s federal government to create a National Space Council, similar to what the United States and United Kingdom have done to guide space policies and investments. The group said the council should be chaired by the prime minister like in the United Kingdom, and include cabinet ministers and industry partners in leadership. In the U.S., the council is chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The nine founding members of Space Canada are: Calian, GHGSat, Magellan Aerospace, Maritime Launch Services, MDA, Mission Control, NorthStar Earth & Space, SpaceBridge, and Telesat. 

“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 Goldberg. “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.”