QUESTION PERIOD — Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Space Sector
April 14, 2026
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Like many Canadians, on Friday, I was glued to my screen as the astronauts from Artemis II, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, re-entered the atmosphere, following a highly successful mission around the moon.
Inspired by this achievement, I consulted the latest departmental plan of the Canadian Space Agency, or CSA, to better understand our space program and how we are leveraging space to deliver services to Canadians. I noted that 37 services provided to Canadians rely on space-based data, and that over 100 Canadian space technologies have been adopted for use on Earth or reused in space.
Some continue to question why we invest so significantly in space. Considering these indicators, can you share how Canadians are benefiting from these investments?
Certainly. Thank you for the question.
As you correctly mentioned, investment in our space agency has a wide area of benefit to our day-to-day lives, in addition to being good for the Canadian economy. For example, recently, there have been efforts to adopt space technology to combat wildfires, which are expected to save between $1 billion and $5 billion in the next five years alone.
The benefits, however, go far beyond that. In 2018, the space sector produced revenue totalling $5.7 billion and contributed $2.5 billion to our GDP in health care, environmental and climate monitoring and job creation by supporting high-skilled jobs, an innovation-driven economy and domestic industrial capacity. It benefits our daily lives in areas like weather and anything that relates to day-to-day information, including the safety of Canadians.
Thank you for that answer.
According to its plan, the Canadian Space Agency supports innovative SMEs by ensuring that Canada remains competitive in the fast-growing global space economy, while helping to launch the next generation of space entrepreneurs.
With an annual budget approaching $1 billion, can you explain how the CSA is supporting SMEs through the development of Canadian-made space technologies for both civilian and defence purposes?
Thank you. The government supports SMEs through agencies with programs like the Space Technology Development Program, smartEarth and the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program, which are positioning Canadian SMEs to participate in next-generation missions, ensuring they can scale and compete in the global supply chain, and Innovative Solution Canada for research and development. These programs are about more than just space. They are about building Canadian industrial capacity and supporting high-tech SMEs.
