Ottawa-Gatineau took an important step this morning toward securing its place as Canada’s Defence Innovation Hub with the official launch of the Canada’s Capital Region Defence Innovation Task Force at the first Mayor’s Breakfast of 2026.
Today’s Mayor’s Breakfast, hosted by the Ottawa Board of Trade in partnership with the Ottawa Business Journal, brought together leaders from across the National Capital Region for a candid and compelling conversation with General (Ret’d) Rick Hillier on the future of defence and economic growth in Ottawa-Gatineau. In a fireside chat, General Hillier highlighted both the urgency and the opportunity of this moment: Canada must accelerate modernization of its defence capabilities, and our capital region is uniquely positioned to lead that effort.
He underscored that the National Capital Region already has the companies, talent, institutions, and proximity to decision makers required to anchor a globally competitive defence innovation ecosystem, and that the task now is to turn that advantage into action.
Launching the Defence Innovation Task Force
Building on that call to action, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette formally announced the launch of Canada’s Capital Region Defence Innovation Task Force. Co-chaired by both mayors, with General (Ret’d) Rick Hillier serving as Honorary Chair, the Task Force brings together 33 leaders from industry, government, investment, diplomatic, academic, and veteran communities across Ottawa and Gatineau.
The Task Force has a clear mandate: operationalize the region’s defence innovation strategy and help unlock up to $3 billion in new economic activity and investment for Ottawa-Gatineau. It will pursue high-impact opportunities, including the proposed global Defence Security and Resilience Bank headquarters, Defence Innovation Secure Hubs, and new centres of excellence in areas such as cyber security, space, and advanced defence technologies.
A region built to lead
Ottawa-Gatineau already hosts one of North America’s most concentrated defence, security, and cyber ecosystems, with more than 300 companies active in defence technology, innovation, cyber security, and related dual-use sectors. These firms are supported by world-class post-secondary institutions, the headquarters of National Defence, foreign missions and embassies, sovereign financial institutions, and a growing network of investors focused on defence and national security.
Recent wins underscore this momentum, including Telesat’s Defence Investment Agency award, Dominion Dynamics’ $21 million funding round for Arctic surveillance, and multiple local firms selected for NATO DIANA programming. With federal plans to significantly increase defence spending and new tools from institutions such as BDC and EDC, the region is well positioned to attract and deploy capital at scale into companies that strengthen Canada’s security and competitiveness.
How the Task Force will work
To ensure broad engagement and sustained progress, the Task Force will operate through three open, action-oriented subcommittees: Domestic Sovereign Industry, Allied and Multinational Industry, and Strategic Innovation Institutions. Each subcommittee will be co-chaired by leaders from Ottawa and Gatineau, meet three times per year, and remain open to relevant participants from across the defence and security community who meet established criteria.
Together, these groups will identify priorities, surface challenges, and advance new opportunities that support local firms, researchers, and innovators. The first full meeting of is scheduled for early April, marking the beginning of a new phase of coordinated execution across our National Capital Region.
OBOT’s role
The Ottawa Board of Trade is proud to be a core partner in this work. OBOT President and CEO, Sueling Ching, will serve as a member of the task force’s executive committee alongside Mayor Sutcliffe, Mayor Marquis-Bissonnette, General Hillier, Sonya Shorey of Invest Ottawa, and Isabelle Veilleux of the City of Gatineau. Together, this leadership team will help guide implementation of the strategy, champion local companies, and ensure that business community perspectives remain central to decision-making.
Ottawa-Gatineau is not just another player in Canada’s defence economy – it is the strategic centre, home to federal leadership, NATO partners, and an innovation ecosystem capable of delivering next-generation defence solutions. Through the Defence Innovation Task Force, we will work with local partners to diversify our economy, create quality jobs, and secure our region’s position as a global Defence Innovation Hub.
To learn more about Canada’s Capital Region Defence Innovation Task Force and the broader strategy it will help implement, visit Invest Ottawa’s Defence Innovation Hub website.