CCI Statement on the Defence Investment Agency

Today, the federal government announced the creation of the Defence Investment Agency, a new initiative aimed at aligning defence spending with economic growth and strengthening Canada’s industrial capacity.

CCI President Benjamin Bergen issued the following statement in response to the announcement:

"It is clear that Prime Minister Mark Carney and his team understand how defence spending and economic growth go hand-in-hand. Through the Defence Investment Agency announced today, alongside the government's Buy Canadian policy announced in September, we see positive indications that Canada is finally ready to use government procurement strategically as a tool of domestic economic growth.

"The federal government is taking the right approach. Ultimately, the success of this defence agency will hinge on the contracts that are awarded and on Ottawa’s ability to cultivate a resilient ecosystem of Canadian defence and dual-use technology suppliers. This will require communication and close collaboration with industry leaders, as we work to change the culture of Canadian government procurement, which has too often shut out scale-up technology companies. We are optimistic that the DIA can become a foundational pillar for Canada's sovereign defence industrial capacity.

"Later this year we are expecting the government to publish a national Defence Industrial Strategy, which is an opportunity to further cement this approach to domestic capacity building, and Canadian procurement. Our members, and hundreds of other companies commercializing dual-use technologies are eager to work with the government and strengthen the sovereignty and security of Canada."

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Media Contact:

James McLeod
Director of Communications
jmcleod@canadianinnovators.org