According to Invest Ottawa, the nation’s capital is home to more than 190 defence companies employing over 10,000 workers. Yet many people working with local defence-tech startups say federal procurement practices make it difficult to sell into their home market.
The cities of Ottawa and Gatineau are launching a new strategy to make the National Capital Region a national defence technology hub – an effort advocates say could generate billions of dollars in economic spinoffs as the federal government ramps up military spending.