Canada’s ocean domain is strategically important to the country’s national defense, security, and sovereignty, including across the Arctic, all coastal regions, and offshore environments. The MoU recognizes the importance of collaboration between Canada’s network of ocean innovation companies and National Defence, particularly as advanced marine sensing technologies become increasingly important to marine domain awareness, operational effectiveness, and informed decision-making in an era defined by global volatility and technological disruption.

Through the MoU, OSC and DND will explore opportunities to collaborate on activities related to Canada’s marine sensing capability ecosystem such as:

• Strategic engagement, collaboration, and convening across Canada’s ocean and defense innovation communities;
• Increasing awareness and understanding of Canadian marine sensing capabilities and technologies;
• Exploring opportunities for pilots, testing, and technology demonstration; and
• Supporting inclusive engagement with industry, research, Indigenous and other partners across Canada.
• This partnership will strengthen Canada’s marine sensing capability ecosystem, supporting both ocean innovation and Canadian sovereign capability objectives.

As Canada’s national ocean cluster, the OSC brings together more than 1,000 member organizations across the country to build industrial capacity in areas including Arctic and surveillance, blue food, marine decarbonization and ocean energy. The OSC also serves as Canada’s co-lead of the Global Blue Tech Cluster Alliance, connecting Canada’s ocean innovation ecosystem with leading blue technology cluster networks internationally.

To date, the OSC has accelerated the development and commercialization of nearly 170 made-in-Canada ocean innovation projects, representing a portfolio of close to $700 million in total project value. These projects are delivering more than 300 new, globally relevant products and services, including dual-use solutions in marine domain awareness, uncrewed and autonomous systems, advanced sensors and hardware, data fusion and edge computing, digital twins, and systems integration.

The formalized working relationship between OSC and DND demonstrates the growing intersection between ocean innovation and national defense and security, where technologies developed for commercial ocean applications can also support a range of marine, Arctic and surveillance requirements.

“This agreement represents an important opportunity to connect Canada’s world-class ocean innovation ecosystem with national defense priorities. Canada has extraordinary expertise in marine sensing, autonomous systems, data and other ocean technologies. By bringing these capabilities together with the needs and priorities of national defense, we can help accelerate the development and adoption of made-in-Canada solutions while strengthening Canada’s sovereign capabilities and economic potential,” said Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.

“Strong partnerships are the foundation of innovation that delivers real results for Canadians. This collaboration between National Defence and Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, one of Canada’s five global innovation clusters, reflects our commitment to supporting efficient and results-driven innovation. By working together, the OSC and DND will strengthen Canada’s marine sensing capabilities and help position Canadian companies at the forefront of emerging ocean technologies,” said the Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Government of Canada.