In a move poised to reshape Canada’s role in the global space economy, Transport Minister and Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon today, April 21, 2026, introduced the Canadian Space Launch Act (Bill C-28) in the House of Commons. The legislation establishes a modern regulatory framework to authorize, regulate, and oversee commercial and sovereign space launches and re-entries from Canadian territory for the first time.
For decades, Canada has punched above its weight in space exploration – from contributing key robotics to the International Space Station and the Canadarm, to sending astronaut Jeremy Hansen on NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby earlier this month. Yet Canada remains the only G7 nation without its own domestic launch capability. Canadian satellites and payloads have long depended on foreign rockets, primarily from the United States, creating vulnerabilities in national security, economic competitiveness, and critical infrastructure.
“This is about giving ourselves the options and the capability of protecting Canada, making sure our Armed Forces stay current and on pace with the rest of the world,” MacKinnon said during the announcement. “Canada has reached the moon but still lacks its own sovereign way to space.”
The Act amends the Aeronautics Act to create clear rules for licensing launches, re-entries, safety standards, financial responsibility, indemnification, and security requirements. It provides the regulatory certainty that industry needs to invest in infrastructure and technology, while ensuring Canada meets its international obligations under space treaties. Officials emphasized that the framework supports both civilian and military applications, from satellite deployment to responsive launch services.
Building on Momentum: Spaceports, Investments, and Industry Growth
The bill arrives on the heels of significant recent investments that signal Canada’s serious intent. On March 16, 2026, Defence Minister David McGuinty announced a $200-million, 10-year lease agreement for a dedicated launch pad at Spaceport Nova Scotia near Canso – the country’s first commercial spaceport, operated by Maritime Launch Services. The facility is expected to reach initial operational capability by the end of 2026, with 90 per cent of the funding required to be spent domestically to bolster Canadian supply chains.
Complementing this is the “Launch the North” initiative under the Defence Industrial Strategy, which is funding Canadian companies like Canada Rocket Company, NordSpace, and Reaction Dynamics to develop responsive light-lift rockets with an initial operational target of 2028. Transport Canada has also been running an interim Commercial Space Launch Program to gather feedback and prepare for safe operations.
Industry leaders are already optimistic. Rahul Goel, CEO of NordSpace, noted that foreign dependency – including reliance on providers like SpaceX – leaves Canada’s national security decisions in the hands of others. “Foreign nations are controlling the supply chain and setting the price point,” he said.
Economic and Strategic Payoff
The stakes are high. Canada’s space sector already generated $5 billion in revenues in 2022, supported 13,888 jobs (up 5.9 per cent in 2023), and contributed $3.2 billion to GDP. Deloitte estimates project the domestic market could reach $40 billion by 2040, while the global space economy is forecast to hit $1.5 trillion by 2032. MacKinnon and other ministers argue the new Act will unlock billions in private investment, create high-paying jobs across the country, and position Atlantic Canada as a hub for innovation and international partnerships.
Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly highlighted the broader economic security angle: “At a moment of rising global uncertainty, Canada must reinforce its economic security and safeguard its sovereignty by investing in our capabilities.” Minister of Justice and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency lead Sean Fraser added that the Nova Scotia spaceport investment will “open Canadian airspace under clear and controlled conditions so companies can safely launch and return spacecraft from Canada.”
Beyond economics, sovereign launches will enhance everyday Canadian life and security. Satellites underpin roughly 20 per cent of the economy – from banking and telecommunications to GPS, wildfire prediction, marine conservation, Arctic monitoring, and broadband expansion via projects like Telesat’s low-Earth-orbit constellation. Domestic launch capability means faster response times, reduced costs, and greater control over critical assets.
What Comes Next
If passed, the Act will enable Transport Canada to issue launch authorizations under the existing interim program while developing permanent regulations. Officials estimate it could take two to three years before the first rockets lift off from Canadian soil, initially focusing on uncrewed orbital and suborbital missions for satellites and technology demonstrators. Human spaceflight remains a longer-term aspiration through continued partnerships like those with NASA.
The legislation also aligns with Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy and National Security Strategy, underscoring space as a domain of strategic competition rather than just scientific curiosity.
As Minister MacKinnon put it: “A long-term Canadian commercial space launch and re-entry regulatory framework would help make our space sector more competitive, create lasting economic opportunity for the Canadian space sector, encourage innovation and research, and support national security.”
For a country that has already left its mark on the moon, the Canadian Space Launch Act represents the next logical – and long-overdue – leap: giving Canada its own ticket to orbit, on its own terms.
