Why Canada Must Build Sovereign Launch Capability to Lead the Space Economy

Canada’s Next Economic Gateway is to Orbit

Canada stands at a strategic inflection point in the global space economy.

For years, launch was framed as a commercial bottleneck: more satellites were being built than rockets and spaceports could support. Demand was rising; supply was constrained.

That framing no longer captures what is at stake.

Launch capability is not simply a service for satellite operators. It is foundational infrastructure for accessing what is rapidly becoming a new industrial domain. It underpins commercial growth, national defence, economic diversification and long-term sovereignty.

If Canada intends to lead in the next industrial economy, sovereign launch capability must be treated as a strategic priority—now.

Where Canada Stands

Canada is already a sophisticated space nation. We build advanced robotics and high-performance satellite systems. Our companies are deeply integrated into allied supply chains and contribute to NATO and Five Eyes capabilities.

Yet every Canadian-built satellite must leave the country to reach orbit. We design here. We build here. We test here. Then we export for launch.

That gap matters.

Launch is the missing layer in Canada’s space industrial stack.

Recognizing this, the federal government has committed $224 million to develop a sovereign launch capability. That signal is significant. The question is whether Canada will move decisively enough to convert intent into a durable industrial advantage.

The Industrial Frontier

To understand the scale of the opportunity, it helps to look backward.

When European nations sought access to new trade routes and resources, they did not simply send explorers. They built ports. They commissioned ships. Governments created sovereign demand. Private corporations provided capital and scale.

Without ports, ships could not operate. Without ships, ports had no purpose. Without sovereign backing, private capital hesitated.

Space today is entering a similar phase.

Orbit is becoming an industrial platform, supporting communications networks, climate monitoring, Arctic surveillance, resource extraction, financial systems, navigation and defence infrastructure. The global space economy is projected to approach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

Rockets are today’s ships. Spaceports are today’s ports.

Countries that have sovereign access to orbit will shape standards, supply chains and industrial clusters. Countries that do not will depend on others, commercially and strategically.

Why Responsible Canadian Launch Matters

Launch capacity historically has been geographically concentrated. However, with recent geopolitical shifts, many allied nations are seeking diversified, trusted alternatives for civil and defence missions.

They want reliable, politically stable partners aligned with shared values.

Canada is well-positioned to provide that.

As a Five Eyes nation with strong regulatory institutions and rule-of-law governance, Canada can offer launch services that strengthen allied resilience and reduce single points of dependency in global infrastructure.

In defence terms, redundancy is security. In economic terms, diversification is resilience.

Canada can contribute both.

Economic Catalysis at Home

Launch capability also shapes economic geography.

Spaceports are typically located in coastal or rural regions. When developed responsibly, they can anchor infrastructure investment, attract advanced supply chains and create high-skilled employment beyond major urban centres. They introduce new pathways for regional diversification and can inspire entire generations of young people within rural communities to take up STEM careers.

For instance, Spaceport Nova Scotia, situated on Canada’s eastern seaboard, provides access to high-inclination and polar trajectories over open ocean, proximity to European markets, and integration within an established aerospace ecosystem. Together, these advantages position it as Canada’s natural gateway to orbit, whilst creating an exciting new industry in a rural region. 

I have seen how establishing launch capability can shift regional ambition and industrial confidence. It changes gravitational pull.

For Canada, this is not simply about rockets. It is about building new nodes of advanced industry in parts of the country ready for diversification.

Defence, Sovereignty and Risk

Modern defence relies on space-based infrastructure: secure communications, navigation, surveillance and early warning.

For a country with vast northern territory and growing Arctic responsibilities, assured access to orbit is directly linked to sovereignty.

Relying exclusively on foreign launch providers introduces vulnerability. Sovereign launch strengthens Canada’s ability to contribute meaningfully within NATO and NORAD while safeguarding national interests.

Serious spacefaring nations build for resilience.

What Must Canada Do to Win?

If Canada wants to lead in the emerging orbital economy, several steps are essential:

Treat launch as national infrastructure. Embed it within industrial, defence and regional economic strategy.

Support budding Canadian launch companies, but also look to allies. We should continue to nurture new launch companies in Canada, while at the same time support the import of existing global launch technology to expediate capabilities.

Build a clear, efficient regulatory regime. Investors require predictability. Environmental and safety standards must be rigorous — but timely.

Align sovereign demand. Defence, Government and space corporations should provide anchor demand for domestic launch capability.

Mobilize patient capital. Launch infrastructure requires long-term investment. Public funding can catalyze development; private capital must scale it.

Integrate the industrial stack. Canada already excels in spacecraft systems. The next step is linking manufacturing, launch and downstream services into a coherent ecosystem.

The Strategic Choice

Canada is experiencing a rare alignment: new federal funding, defence modernization, Arctic focus and growing global demand for trusted launch alternatives.

But industrial windows close.

Capital flows toward certainty. Politicians change. Talent gravitates toward ambition. Supply chains consolidate around capability hubs.

Canada can remain a world-class builder of space systems that rely on others for access to orbit.

Or it can complete its industrial stack, strengthening sovereignty, supporting allies and anchoring a new layer of economic growth at home.

Launch capability is not about prestige. 

It is about access, and access determines advantage.

The decisions made in this decade will define Canada’s position in the next industrial economy. And now is the moment to build out a gateway to orbit.