Supporting Ontario’s Defence Industrial Strategy
Ontario is developing its first Defence Industrial Strategy to strengthen the province’s role in Canadian and allied defence supply chains. ODA supports this direction as an industry association by helping organize industry input, improve supplier readiness, map defence-relevant capabilities, convene partners, and connect Ontario companies to the practical requirements of defence and dual-use growth.
Disclaimer: ODA supports industry alignment with the Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy. ODA does not own, author, or officially administer the Government of Ontario’s strategy. Read the province’s framework announcement: Ontario unveils framework for Defence Industrial Strategy.
An opportunity that extends across Ontario’s industrial base
Ontario’s defence opportunity extends beyond existing defence suppliers. The province’s industrial base includes defence firms, advanced manufacturers, aerospace companies, automotive suppliers, cyber and AI firms, critical minerals companies, nuclear and energy suppliers, logistics firms, space and sensor companies, research institutions, workforce partners, and dual-use technology companies.
Source: Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy framework, Government of Ontario, May 2026.
“Ontario is the trusted industrial and innovation backbone for Canada and its allied partners, where defence and dual-use capabilities are invented, built, scaled and exported.”
Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy framework, Government of Ontario, May 2026Use provincial levers — talent, innovation, investment attraction, supplier readiness, export acceleration, and enabling infrastructure — to help Ontario firms win and scale in Canadian and allied defence supply chains while building durable industrial capabilities aligned with national priorities.
One foundation, four pillars
An industry-association contribution to each area
Ontario’s regional defence clusters
Strengths and opportunities vary across the province’s regions.
Northern Ontario
Critical minerals, mining, processing, remote infrastructure, and northern supply-chain opportunities.
Waterloo Region
AI, quantum, cybersecurity, hard tech, and advanced technology.
London / Southwestern Ontario
Advanced military industrial manufacturing, land systems, defence manufacturing, and Best Defence host region.
Ottawa
Cyber technology, national capital ecosystem, and federal defence and security proximity.
Barrie / Central Ontario
Municipal leadership and investment attraction opportunities.
Greater Toronto Area
Defence, aerospace, finance, advanced manufacturing, professional services, and global business connectivity.
Defence and dual-use capability areas
Help map Ontario’s defence and dual-use capability
ODA is working to better understand Ontario’s defence-relevant industrial base. This work has begun as the Ontario Defence & Dual-Use Capability Atlas — an early, evidence-gated beta that profiles 237 organizations and 249 capabilities across the province, mapped to ODIS sectors and regions, now piloting with members. Companies interested in membership, supplier readiness, capability mapping, or Ontario defence ecosystem engagement are encouraged to connect.