Canada Launches New Program To Fund Tech Demos in Defense and Aerospace Industries

The Technology Demonstration Program promises major funding for technology demonstrations.

Minister for Industry James Moore has announced the creation of new Technology Demonstration Program. The new program, part of the government’s Economic Action Plan, is designed to fund technology demonstrations in the defense and aerospace sectors.

“Canada’s aerospace and defense industries make important contributions to our economy, support high-skilled jobs across the country, and are leading investors in research and development,” said Moore. “Our government is proud to launch this new program that will support large-scale technology demonstration projects with strong commercialization potential and that will promote cross-industry collaboration.”

Now that the creation of the program has been announced, the government will start accepting project proposals, which are due by December 6th. The approved projects will be announced by the fall of 2014, with project selection taking place once a year.

The Technology Demonstration Program will cover up to 50 percent of a selected project’s eligible costs. The total annual amount of funding in each selection cycle is about $51.3 million.

“This event honours the government’s commitment in Budget 2013 to support innovation in Canada’s defence industries,” said Tim Page, President of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries.  “We believe that this program will help to create knowledge-based jobs in the defence and security sector and strengthen the ability of Canadian industry to support Canada’s Armed Forces with world-class capability across the land, sea and air domains. It will also contribute to greater Canadian success in export markets around the world.”

Interested in the Defense and Aerospace Industries? Here are just some of the schools that offer degrees in related programs:

• Confederation College
• University of Alberta
• University of Victoria
• Ryerson University
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology