Space Strategy for Canada

Canada's space activities have also brought social benefits back to Earth. Important examples are the advances in health sciences and medicine that have been enabled by Canada's involvement in the ISS program. Scientists have been able to develop a better understanding of a number of challenges related to cardiovascular, bone and bone marrow health; immunology and neurology; as well as to advance the development of related biomedical devices thanks to the extreme and unique characteristics of the ISS environment – microgravity, radiation, isolation and confinement, its closed ecosystem and the long-duration stays of the astronauts who live there.

Recognizing the significant socio-economic opportunity, governments around the world are investing heavily in space and revisiting their policy and regulatory frameworks to create favourable conditions for new kinds of commercially led space activities such as increased broadband connectivity, new EO services, space resource utilization, commercial launch services, on-orbit servicing and space tourism.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of space, as reflected in successive new investments of over $2.6 billion since 2016 to ensure the vitality of Canada's space sector. Through these smart investments, we have helped grow our space sector and enabled our scientists to take part in missions of discovery about Earth, our solar system and the universe. Today, the challenges we face here on Earth, and the opportunities that the rapidly evolving space industry and advances in space science provide, demand that Canada again make strategic and visionary commitments to leverage space to maximize benefits for Canadians. Building on our proud history, we are now planning a bright future for Canada's space program.