Canada Selects Dedicated Sovereign Launch Site for National Defense
Ten-Year Defense Agreement Established with Spaceport Nova Scotia
The Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) has become a tenant at Spaceport Nova Scotia, marking a historic milestone in establishing Canada’s sovereign launch capability from Canadian soil. Under the agreement announced by the Government of Canada, DND will lease a dedicated launch pad at Spaceport Nova Scotia from Maritime Launch Services to support the operational needs of DND, the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canada’s long-term sovereign access to space.
“Spaceport Nova Scotia helps address a global launch capacity bottleneck, where demand for access to orbit continues to outpace available launch infrastructure.”
Stephen Matier, Maritime Launch Services
The agreement provides DND with access to a dedicated launch pad at Spaceport Nova Scotia for a ten-year term retroactive to April 1, 2025, representing a total contract value of $200 million over the term. Under the agreement, Maritime Launch will receive $20 million per year, with approximately 90 percent of gross rental payments spent in Canada to support domestic industry and workforce development. Importantly, the timing of payments supports near-term cash flow as the spaceport advances toward operations. The first $20 million cash payment is due before March 31, 2026, followed by $5 million payments at the end of each fiscal quarter thereafter.
“Today, we build on Canada’s proud legacy as a nation of innovators, explorers, and builders.’ stated The Honorable David J. McGuinty, Canada’s Minister of National Defense, during an announcement event at the David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa today. “With this step, we are not only advancing our capabilities here on Earth—we are reaffirming our place among the spacefaring nations shaping the future beyond it. Because in the decades ahead, our security, our prosperity, and our sovereignty will increasingly extend beyond our atmosphere. Canada will be there. Ad Astra Defendimus.”
Maritime Launch is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the facilities and continuing the build out of the spaceport, including additional launch pads, a launch control center, payload integration and testing facilities, and supporting infrastructure. The dedicated launch pad is expected to reach initial operational readiness by the end of 2026.
“Spaceport Nova Scotia is ready to serve as Canada’s choice for sovereign orbital launch capability. We are readying the site to welcome launch customers from around the world for commercial, civil, and defense missions. Located on Canada’s Atlantic coast, the spaceport offers safe over-ocean launch corridors and access to highly sought-after orbital inclinations, providing a unique capability that only a limited number of global launch locations can support,” said Stephen Matier, president and CEO, Maritime Launch Services Inc. “Spaceport Nova Scotia helps address a global launch capacity bottleneck, where demand for access to orbit continues to outpace available launch infrastructure. By enabling reliable launch access from Canadian soil, Spaceport Nova Scotia will help unlock the growth of the Canadian space sector and create lasting economic opportunity for Canadians. This agreement represents a long-term investment in Canadian infrastructure, Canadian workers, and Canadian communities, including the creation of high-quality jobs in rural regions such as the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, home to Spaceport Nova Scotia. We are proud to support missions that strengthen Canada’s security and sovereign access to space while helping build a strong, competitive Canadian space economy.”
This agreement delivers on the Government of Canada’s Defense Industrial Strategy, and investments announced in Budget 2025–2026, to establish a sovereign space launch capability by anchoring critical launch infrastructure in Canada, strengthening domestic defence capacity, supporting Canadian industry and skilled workers, and ensuring the Canadian Armed Forces have reliable, dedicated access to space-based capabilities. At today’s event in Ottawa, Minister McGuinty highlighted Canada’s firm commitment to NATO, announcing Canada’s intention to become a full member of the NATO STARLIFT initiative. STARLIFT aims to build a more resilient, responsive, and cost‑effective network of space launch capabilities to enable NATO allies to launch assets at short notice from spaceports across the Alliance.
Spaceport Nova Scotia is being developed as a dual-use launch facility supporting both commercial space activity and government missions, welcoming launch customers from around the world while advancing Canada’s national resilience and broader space, defense, and security objectives.