HAMILTON, Ontario, April 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Industry and innovation leaders across the province today announced the formal establishment of the Ontario Defence Association (ODA), a new organization created to strengthen Ontario’s role in Canada’s evolving defence and security landscape and to better align the province’s industrial capabilities with national priorities.
The launch comes at a pivotal moment, as Canada increases defence investment, reinforces its NATO commitments, and responds to a rapidly shifting global security environment.
Ontario’s defence industrial base is significant – but historically under-coordinated at the provincial level.
According to the Ontario government, the province’s defence sector includes more than 300 companies, 13,000 workers, and over $5 billion in annual revenue, spanning land systems, aerospace, maritime, digital defence, and advanced manufacturing. Despite this scale, Ontario has lacked a dedicated, defence-focused body to coordinate industry engagement, support procurement readiness, and represent its interests at scale.
This gap is what the Ontario Defence Association was created to address.
“Ontario has the industrial depth to be a decisive contributor to Canada’s defence priorities,” said Ted Kirkpatrick, Chair of the Ontario Defence Association and Vice President, Business Development and Government Relations at Ontario Shipyards. “What’s been missing is a dedicated provincial coordination mechanism. The ODA closes that gap by bringing industry, government, and partners into a more structured and aligned framework.”
The ODA will serve as Ontario’s primary defence and security industry interface, coordinating engagement with provincial and federal stakeholders, improving access to procurement and funding pathways, mapping and strengthening regional supply chains, and supporting the readiness of small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in defence programs.
“At this time of heightened challenge and growth for the defence industry, a more coordinated and visible provincial ecosystem is essential to strengthening Canada’s defence supply chain. The Ontario Defence Association represents an important step in bringing together the capabilities needed to support major defence programs.” – Ben Whitney, President, Armo Tool & Abuma Manufacturing.
Unlike nationally scoped trade associations or sector-specific councils, the Ontario Defence Association is the only provincial not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to advancing Ontario’s defence industrial base across all domains.
Its mandate is to bring structure, visibility, and execution capability to a sector that is increasingly critical to Canada’s national security and economic resilience.
“We see our role as a trusted partner to government and industry in strengthening Ontario’s defence and security capacity,” said Heather Pilot, Executive Director and co-founder of the Ontario Defence Association.
“Ontario companies have real capability and real appetite. The ODA exists to connect them to programs, to buyers, and to each other – so the province is positioned not just to participate, but to lead.”
The Association is governed by a Board of Directors and leadership team with deep experience across the Canadian Armed Forces, aerospace and defence industry, advanced manufacturing, cyber security, and large-scale program execution. This includes senior leaders from organizations such as General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada, Airbus Helicopters, BlackBerry, and leading Canadian defence and industrial firms, alongside former military leaders and national security experts.
This depth of leadership positions the ODA as a credible, execution-oriented partner from the outset.
Since its introduction at the Best Defence Conference in London, Ontario in October 2025, the ODA has already begun engaging with industry and government stakeholders and supporting multiple defence-aligned initiatives and project proposals aimed at strengthening Ontario’s industrial readiness and participation in national programs.
The focus now shifts from formation to coordinated action.
In the months ahead, the Association will convene partners across industry and government to advance a more aligned provincial defence and security framework, focused on long-term industrial growth, supply chain resilience, and capability development.
Organizations interested in engaging with the Ontario Defence Association as members or partners can learn more at www.ontariodefence.ca.
Ontario Shipyards is a proud member of the Ontario Defence Association.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO DEFENCE ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Defence Association is Ontario’s only not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the advancement of the province’s defence industrial base. Representing manufacturers, integrators, and supply chain participants across land, air, maritime, digital defence, and advanced manufacturing, the ODA works to strengthen market intelligence, improve procurement readiness, support workforce alignment, and enhance supply chain resilience across Ontario’s defence and security sector.
Media Inquiries:
Ontario Defence Association
info@ontariodefence.ca
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