Ontario Defence Association · Industry Event

ODA Defence Industry Exchange 2026

Connecting Ontario’s Defence Industry to Strategy, Capital, Supply Chains and Opportunity

Date

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Time

9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Venue

Royal Canadian Military Institute426 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Registration

$30 for ODA members$50 for non-members. Members register themselves and up to two guests each at $30, with the ODA discount code.

At Capacity · Waitlist Open

This event is currently at capacity. A waitlist is open, and we are working to increase capacity — we hope to re-engage the waitlist within the next few days. Members on the waitlist will be emailed a payment link directly if spots open up.

Advance registration is required. Early registration is strongly encouraged. ODA members register at $30 — discount code details

Hear where defence is going. Understand how to enter and scale. Help shape what Ontario industry needs next.

Strategy · Industry access · Capital · Intelligence · Connection

Event Overview

A Focused Day of Strategy, Intelligence and Relationship Building

The ODA Defence Industry Exchange brings together defence and dual-use companies, senior industry leaders, government, investors, financial institutions and key ecosystem partners for a focused day of discussion, industry intelligence and relationship building.

Designed to become a recurring ODA industry event, the Defence Industry Exchange moves beyond traditional networking. The program combines strategic updates, practical discussions on entering and scaling within defence markets, access to capital, executive-level industry roundtables, and a structured assessment of the challenges and constraints facing Ontario’s defence industrial base.

Participants will hear directly from industry and government, engage with organizations operating across the defence supply chain, and contribute to the ODA Industry Pulse 2027–2028: Defence Readiness and Constraints — a facilitated industry health check designed to identify common barriers, emerging priorities and areas requiring greater coordination as Ontario’s defence sector prepares for the coming fiscal years.

Event Details

Date & Time: Tuesday, September 29, 20269:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Location: Royal Canadian Military Institute426 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
Registration: $30 for ODA members$50 for non-members. Members may register up to two invited guests each at $30, using the ODA discount code at checkout.
Dress: Business or business casual
Roundtable Interest: ashancorea@ontariodefence.ca

The event is at capacity. The waitlist is open — if spots open up, a payment link is emailed to you directly.

Why Attend

Built for Organizations Positioning to Enter or Scale in Defence

The Defence Industry Exchange is designed for organizations seeking to understand where Ontario’s defence ecosystem is going, how companies can position themselves to participate, and what will be required to successfully enter or scale within the defence market.

Understand the latest programs, tools and initiatives being delivered through the Ontario Defence Association.
Hear directly from the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade regarding the Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy 2027–2028 Vision Outlook Brief.
Learn how Canadian companies can move from a strong technical or industrial capability toward qualification, integration and participation in defence programs and supply chains.
Explore the different sources of capital and financing available to companies entering or scaling within defence.
Exchange perspectives with senior industry leaders, SMEs and organizations throughout Ontario’s defence supply chain.
Contribute directly to an ODA-led assessment of the operational, procurement, financial, industrial and growth constraints affecting the sector.
Build relationships through structured and informal networking throughout the day.

Program

September 29, 2026 · 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

9:00 – 9:30 AM

Registration, Coffee & Networking

Guest arrival and check-in adjacent to the Otter Room. An opportunity to meet fellow participants and connect before the formal program begins.

9:30 – 10:00 AM

Ontario Defence Association Update

A strategic update from the Ontario Defence Association covering the organization’s progress, recently launched tools and services, upcoming programming, and capabilities being developed to support Ontario’s defence and dual-use ecosystem.

The session will provide participants with a clear view of ODA’s evolving role and the resources available to help Ontario companies connect, develop and grow within the defence sector.

10:00 – 10:30 AM

Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy 2027–2028 Vision Outlook Brief

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

A briefing from the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade examining the direction of the Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy, priorities for strengthening Ontario’s defence industrial base, and the province’s outlook entering 2027–2028.

10:30 – 10:45 AM

Coffee & Networking Break

10:45 – 11:40 AM

Industry Panel

From Capability to Contract: Pathways for Ontario Industry to Enter and Scale in Defence

A practical discussion examining what needs to happen between developing a strong capability and successfully participating in a defence program or supply chain.

The panel will bring together perspectives from across the defence industrial ecosystem to explore how companies can become defence-ready, establish relationships with larger defence organizations, navigate qualification and procurement requirements, and develop the industrial capacity needed to scale.

Topics may include

Defence and supply-chain readiness
Working with primes, integrators and major defence suppliers
Technology and manufacturing readiness
Qualification, testing and compliance requirements
Production capacity and industrialization
Procurement and market-entry pathways
Common barriers encountered by SMEs entering defence

Moderated discussion followed by audience questions

11:40 – 11:50 AM

Coffee Break

11:50 AM – 12:45 PM

Capital Panel

Financing Defence Growth: Accessing the Capital Required to Enter and Scale

Entering the defence market — and scaling once an opportunity has been identified — can require significant investment in technology, people, certification, manufacturing capacity, inventory and working capital.

This panel will bring together perspectives from Canada’s financing and investment ecosystem to examine the capital solutions available to companies entering or expanding within defence.

Topics may include

Financing defence market entry and growth
Working capital and production financing
Financing manufacturing and capacity expansion
Equity, debt and alternative sources of capital
Investment and lender readiness
Financing technology commercialization
Capital requirements associated with scaling into major defence programs

Moderated discussion followed by audience questions

12:45 – 1:30 PM

Lunch & Networking

Lunch will be served at RCMI, providing participants with additional time to connect with speakers, industry colleagues and other members of Ontario’s defence ecosystem.

1:30 – 3:00 PM

Afternoon Industry Exchange

Following lunch, the program shifts from presentations to direct industry participation and dialogue. Two complementary activities will operate concurrently — detailed below.

3:00 – 3:30 PM

Industry Networking

All participants will reconvene for an informal networking session to close the Defence Industry Exchange. Participants will also be able to make use of the RCMI bar throughout the event, where appropriate, for informal side discussions and meetings.

3:30 PM

Event Concludes

Afternoon · 1:30 – 3:00 PM

Two Concurrent Industry Sessions

The afternoon moves from presentations to direct industry participation. Participants join either the facilitated Industry Pulse or, by expression of interest, one of two smaller Executive Industry Roundtables.

Otter Room

ODA Industry Pulse 2027–2028: Defence Readiness and Constraints

The ODA Industry Pulse 2027–2028: Defence Readiness and Constraints is a facilitated industry health check designed to capture what organizations throughout Ontario are experiencing as they prepare for the coming fiscal years.

Participants will work in facilitated table groups examining specific dimensions of defence industrial readiness.

Discussion Areas May Include

ProcurementOperationsSupply ChainCapitalWorkforceManufacturingTechnologyGovernment EngagementMarket AccessIndustrial Readiness

Tables Will Work Through Four Principal Areas

Observations

What is industry currently experiencing?

Constraints

Where are companies encountering barriers?

Deductions

What do those observations collectively tell us?

Priorities

Where may additional action, coordination or support be required?

ODA will electronically consolidate the findings to identify recurring themes and common industry factors. The objective is to develop a clearer picture of the health, readiness and constraints of Ontario’s defence industrial ecosystem entering 2027–2028, with findings helping to inform future ODA programming, industry engagement and advocacy.

The Library and Reading Room at the Royal Canadian Military Institute, set for a small roundtable discussion

Library & Medals Room

Executive Industry Roundtables

Running concurrently with the Industry Pulse will be two smaller Executive Industry Roundtables, bringing together senior industry leaders, SME executives and selected operational or functional representatives with a direct interest in Canada’s defence industrial base and supply chain.

These facilitated sessions are intended to create an environment for more detailed and candid discussion around industrial challenges, emerging opportunities, areas of concern and opportunities for greater coordination.

The smaller format is designed to encourage substantive discussion rather than formal presentations.

Expression of Interest

Participation in the Executive Industry Roundtables will be limited. Individuals interested in participating are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to ashancorea@ontariodefence.ca.

Applicants should include their name, organization, position and a brief description of the perspective or area of expertise they would bring to the discussion. Selected participants will be contacted by the Ontario Defence Association prior to the event.

Who Should Attend

The Defence Industry Exchange Is Particularly Relevant To

Ontario defence and dual-use companies SMEs seeking defence market entry Established defence manufacturers and suppliers Primes and Tier 1 suppliers Technology companies seeking defence applications Advanced manufacturing companies Aerospace, automotive and industrial companies diversifying into defence Investors, lenders and financial institutions Government and economic-development organizations Research and academic institutions Supply-chain and defence ecosystem partners Executives responsible for business development, operations, manufacturing, strategy, supply chain, investment or growth

Registration

ODA Member Rate

$30per person

Applied at checkout with the ODA discount code — and it extends to up to two guests invited by a member.

Non-Member Registration

$50per person

Open to all participants.

Advance registration is required for participation in the ODA Defence Industry Exchange. Given the facilitated nature of the Industry Pulse, Executive Industry Roundtables and panel discussions, participants are encouraged to register as early as possible.

ODA Member Discount

Where to Find Your ODA Discount Code

The ODA Defence Industry Exchange discount code has been emailed to all ODA members. It is also available in the ODA Member Hub under Benefits & Codes. Enter it at checkout to register at $30 per person instead of $50.

This is an event discount code. It is not your Member Hub access code, and it will not open the Member Hub.

Members may also bring guests at the member rate — up to two guests per member. As long as guests are registered through the ODA member, the same discount code applies to them at checkout, even where those guests are not ODA members themselves.

Check the email sent to your organization or open Benefits & Codes in the Member Hub. If you still cannot locate it, email our administrator Holly at info@ontariodefence.ca to confirm it.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Royal Canadian Military Institute
426 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

At Capacity · Waitlist Open

The Exchange is currently at capacity. A waitlist is open, and we are working to increase capacity — we hope to re-engage the waitlist within the next few days. Members on the waitlist will be emailed a payment link directly if spots open up.

No payment is taken on the waitlist form. ODA members: keep the ODA discount code emailed to you — also in the Member Hub under Benefits & Codes — for checkout.

Submit roundtable Expression of Interest

The Venue

Attending the Royal Canadian Military Institute

The Defence Industry Exchange will be held at the Royal Canadian Military Institute, 426 University Avenue in downtown Toronto.

Aerial view of the two-storey library at the Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto

Arrival

Guests should check in at the RCMI front desk at the main entrance upon arrival. Participants will then be directed to the appropriate event spaces. Guests should use the RCMI elevator rather than the residential elevator.

Parking & Transportation

Parking options are available within approximately a five-minute walk of RCMI, including facilities around University Avenue and the surrounding downtown area.

Dress

RCMI dress code is business or business casual attire.

Photography

Photography and light media capture may take place during the event.

About the Ontario Defence Association

The Ontario Defence Association works to strengthen Ontario’s position within Canada’s defence and security ecosystem by connecting industry, government and partners; supporting resilient domestic supply chains; improving industry readiness; and enabling Ontario companies to identify and pursue opportunities within Canada’s growing defence sector.

The Association’s broader mandate is centred on collaboration, resilient supply chains and supporting the growth of domestic defence capability.

First page of the ODA Defence Industry Exchange 2026 one-page overview

Event Overview

A one-page summary of the Defence Industry Exchange — program, afternoon sessions, venue notes and the registration link — ready to print or forward to colleagues.

Open the one-page overview

About ODA info@ontariodefence.ca Become a Member