Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) has allocated over $900 million towards establishing a drone research facility and acquiring a Canadian-manufactured Bombardier Global 6500 to bolster defense research efforts. The funding originates from the recently implemented Defence Industrial Strategy.
During the announcement in Ottawa on Monday, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly emphasized the importance of domestic innovation for Canada’s security. She stated, “We are enhancing our sovereign capabilities and aiding Canadian companies in advancing next-generation aerospace, drone, quantum, and biomedical technologies.”
Joining Joly at the event were Defence Minister David McGuinty and Stephen Fuhr, the secretary of state for defense procurement. Fuhr highlighted the NRC’s extensive history of conducting top-tier research for over a century and reiterated the commitment to developing sovereign defense technologies that enhance security and economic prosperity for Canada.
The primary objective of the new research center is to conduct innovative research on drones with applications in both military and civilian sectors. McGuinty mentioned that the investment and research initiatives would fortify Canada’s industrial base and expedite the deployment of new capabilities to the military.
The Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft, set to be manufactured at Bombardier’s facilities in Mississauga, Ontario, and Dorval, Quebec, will involve contributions from more than 65 Canadian suppliers. The federal government’s agreement to procure six Global 6500 jets from Bombardier at the end of last year, valued at over $753 million, aimed to replace the aging Challenger jets in the air force fleet, with delivery expected by summer 2027.
These Challenger jets are currently utilized for transporting government officials and conducting military medical evacuation flights. Joly noted that the NRC’s acquisition of a jet for defense technological development would be in addition to the previously ordered aircraft in December.
