Strengthening Canada’s Sovereignty Through an Industrial Defence Strategy

As Canada plans to significantly increase its defence spending in the coming years, a key question arises: how can these investments truly benefit the economy and local innovation?

According to several public policy experts, simply investing large amounts is not enough. To maximize impact, three major challenges must be addressed: strengthening manufacturing capacity, better protecting intangible assets resulting from research, and strategically governing emerging technologies.

A promising approach is based on the concept of the “industrial commons.” The idea is simple: bring research and development (R&D) activities closer to production capabilities. In other words, enable innovations such as drones, quantum technologies, or aerospace solutions to be designed and manufactured locally.

This model not only fosters innovation, but also encourages resource sharing, collaboration between companies, and the development of a stronger, more autonomous industrial ecosystem.

To bring this vision to life in Canada, several recommendations emerge, including the development of defence-related innovation hubs that combine R&D and manufacturing, stronger intellectual property frameworks to retain value within the country, and the implementation of strategic standards to improve control over technologies.

In an evolving geopolitical context, these actions could help Canada build a more resilient economy while strengthening its technological and industrial sovereignty.

Source: Analysis inspired by the work of Laurent Carbonneau, Council of Canadian Innovators (2026)

Read the full article here: https://www.canadianinnovators.org/content/sovereign-capability-building-a-canadian-dual-use-industrial-commons