Atlantic Canada well-positioned to contribute to defence and dual use sector
From the Springboard Content Lab
With Atlantic Canada emerging as one of the most strategically important regions for Canada’s defence and security priorities, Springboard has launched a series of stories highlighting defence and dual-use applied research and technologies in the region.
Springboard Atlantic Defence Stories will focus on the defence-related work in our network of 19 post secondary institutions.
There is no question the region is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to national and allied defence requirements.
Geography and oceans are regional strengths
Geography is a major factor. The region sits at the crossroads of North Atlantic shipping routes, Arctic gateways, and key undersea communications corridors.
As global tensions increase and the importance of maritime awareness grows, Atlantic Canada provides Canada with the vantage points, ports, and expertise needed to safeguard these crucial spaces. The region’s naval presence, including the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax and the ocean-focused COVE facility in Dartmouth and the long history of shipbuilding, forms a deep foundation for maritime readiness.
Springboard members poised for defence collaborations
But it is the research and innovation ecosystem in our academic ecosystem that sets Atlantic Canada apart. Springboard members Dalhousie University, Memorial University, the University of New Brunswick, the University of Prince Edward Island, and regional colleges have strong capabilities in oceans, cybersecurity, engineering, autonomy, and climate science.
These strengths align directly with the emerging needs of modern defence: intelligent sensing, autonomous systems, undersea surveillance, resilient energy, cyber readiness, logistics analytics, and advanced manufacturing.
Dual-use technologies—those that serve both civilian and defence markets—are already flourishing across the region. Ocean-tech companies are developing uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles; AI startups are advancing predictive analytics; researchers are building better composites, sensors, and robotics; and colleges are producing highly skilled technical talent for shipbuilding, aerospace, and cyber fields.
Federal government investments in region
Programs like Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) have attracted Atlantic innovators who are solving problems ranging from Arctic situational awareness to marine ice detection.
The Government of Canada is investing $38.2 million to establish the new Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) in Atlantic Canada. The program is being delivered by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Targeted regional investments are designed to expand the country’s defence industrial capacity. The government of Canada is investing a total of $357.7 million for RDII across the country.
“We are investing nearly $40 million to help Atlantic Canada’s defence businesses grow, modernize, and win more global contracts. That investment stays here in the region and strengthens Canada’s defence capacity.”
– Sean Fraser, Minister responsible for ACOA
These investments will drive research and innovation, strengthen domestic supply chains, grow critical resource stockpiles, and improve access to funds for Canadian small- and medium-sized defence businesses.
The federal government has also announced Canada’s first Maritime Defence Innovation Secure Hub (DISH), COVE in Dartmouth.
The government is investing $29.4 million to establish the hub focused on protecting Canadian sovereignty, building resilience and collaborating with the Canadian innovation ecosystem.
“Today’s investment connects the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces with the next generation of Canadian innovators. We need to set up our industry for success – and we cannot do that if our armed forces and businesses are unable share critical information. As Canada rebuilds, rearms and reinvests in our armed forces, we will build a strong industry to support our workers and communities across the country”
Defence Minister David McGuinty
Agile ecosystem with good connections enhances defence capabilities
The Atlantic Loop of innovation—stretching from St. John’s to Halifax to Moncton to Charlottetown—is becoming a recognizable brand in Canadian defence circles.
Industry engagement is accelerating as SMEs and startups see the defence sector as a viable pathway for growth and commercialization. Defence projects are increasingly connected to the region, drawn by innovation clusters such as COVE in Dartmouth, TechNL’s ocean-tech network in Newfoundland and Labrador, Fredericton’s cybersecurity corridor, and New Brunswick’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
The region also offers a unique blend of stability, talent, and community connectivity. Smaller ecosystems can pivot quickly, collaborate across sectors, and test emerging technologies in real-world environments—from harsh Atlantic waters to remote northern-like conditions. These qualities make Atlantic Canada a natural living lab for defence innovation.
With global geopolitical pressures rising and Canada reshaping its defence priorities, Atlantic Canada has the assets, expertise, and entrepreneurial energy to be a key contributor. The region’s combination of ocean leadership, research excellence, advanced manufacturing capacity, and growing dual-use industry presence places it at the forefront of what modern defence innovation requires.
Atlantic Canada isn’t just participating in the defence sector—it is shaping it.
This piece is part of the Springboard Atlantic Defence Stories Series curated by the Springboard Network to highlight the projects and potential of defence and dual-use applied research and projects in Atlantic Canada. Please reach out with any defence and dual use stories in our network of 19 post-secondary institutions.
