ODA Defence Industry Exchange 2026
Connecting Ontario’s Defence Industry to Strategy, Capital, Supply Chains and Opportunity
Event Overview
The Defence Industry Exchange brings together defence and dual-use companies, senior industry leaders, government, investors, financial institutions and ecosystem partners for a focused day of discussion, industry intelligence and relationship building. The program combines strategic updates, practical discussion on entering and scaling within defence markets, access to capital, executive-level roundtables, and a structured assessment of the constraints facing Ontario’s defence industrial base.
Program
- Registration, Coffee & Networking
- Ontario Defence Association Update — progress, tools, services and upcoming programming
- Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy 2027–2028 Vision Outlook Brief — Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- Industry Panel — From Capability to Contract: pathways for Ontario industry to enter and scale in defence
- Capital Panel — Financing Defence Growth: accessing the capital required to enter and scale
- Lunch & Networking
- Afternoon Industry Exchange — two concurrent sessions
- Industry Networking — event concludes at 3:30 PM
Who Should Attend
Ontario defence and dual-use companies · SMEs seeking defence market entry · manufacturers and suppliers · primes and Tier 1 suppliers · technology and advanced manufacturing firms · aerospace, automotive and industrial companies diversifying into defence · investors, lenders and financial institutions · government and economic-development organizations · research and academic institutions.
ODA Industry Pulse 2027–2028
A facilitated industry health check on defence readiness and constraints. Table groups work through Observations, Constraints, Deductions and Priorities, and ODA consolidates the findings to identify recurring themes across the province.
Executive Industry Roundtables
Two smaller facilitated sessions for senior industry leaders and SME executives, running concurrently with the Industry Pulse. Places are limited. Submit an Expression of Interest with your name, organization, position and the perspective you would bring to ashancorea@ontariodefence.ca.
Attending RCMI
Check in at the RCMI front desk at the main entrance and use the RCMI elevator, not the residential elevator. Parking is available within a five-minute walk. Dress is business or business casual.
Register or Join the Waitlist
The event is currently at capacity. A waitlist is open, and we are working to increase capacity — members on the waitlist will be emailed a payment link directly if spots open up. $30 for ODA members and up to two guests each, with the ODA discount code at checkout — emailed to all members and found in the Member Hub under Benefits & Codes. $50 for non-members.
Register or join the waitlist → ontariodefence.ca/news/industry-exchange-2026