Dynamic aerospace & defence industry
Due to our unique location as a gateway to other parts of the world, Greater Halifax has a strong history in the aerospace and defence industry. In the 18th Century, the city of Halifax served as a principal naval station in the British Empire, and was of great importance to Canada's development and evolution from colony to nation.
Today, aerospace and defence in our region is as strong as ever. As a $1.6 billion industry, a number of world-class aerospace and defence companies are located in our region. These companies are backed by a highly skilled workforce and excellent support services, which allows them to compete nationally and internationally.
Why choose Halifax?
- Our aerospace and defence sector employs 6,000 people and is home to industry giants, like Lockheed Martin Canada, L-3 Electronic Systems, Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc, CAE Professional Services, Raytheon and EADS Composites Atlantic.
- Our province has the largest concentration of DND assets in all of Canada – meaning you’re close to the industry’s largest customer!
- We’re working on large and exciting DND projects, like the Maritime Helicopter Program, the Halifax Class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension Project, and the Aurora Structural Life Extension Program.
- We’re Canada’s smart city, with one of the best educated workforces in all of Canada. More than two-thirds of its population has a trade, college or university designation. We have one of the largest concentrations of universities in North America, with a local enrolment of 30,000 students every year. Our programs range from diplomas in aircraft maintenance engineering to PhDs in a number of science, computer science and engineering.
- We’re a leader in marine technology R&D, with a research cluster that includes Defence Research & Development Canada Atlantic (DRD Atlantic), the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) and Dalhousie University.
- Lockheed Martin’s new Technology Collaboration Centre in Halifax is fostering industry collaboration by providing a near-at-sea environment for businesses to test and develop solutions for the Canadian Navy.
- We’re home to a thriving visualization and simulation sector that includes gaming studios, the Brain Repair Centre, the National Research Council’s Institute of Biodiagnostics, and CAE - the global leader in flight simulation.
- We’re strategically located, whether you are moving goods in and out of North America, or delivering services across European, North American and Caribbean time zones.
- Our multi-modal transportation infrastructure and transload capabilities will get your goods to market – fast!
- Aerospace and defence salaries in Halifax tend to be lower than in other Canadian and American cities – a real comp
etitive advantage for companies located here.
Notable Aerospace and Defence Companies in Halifax
- Lockheed Martin Canada
- L-3 Electronic Systems
- Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc
- General Dynamics
- IMP Group International Inc
- CAE Professional Services
- Raytheon
- Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems
- EADS Composites Atlantic
- Irving Shipbuilding
Industry Voices
“Nova Scotia is a tremendous place to do business. First and foremost, it has a workforce that is not only highly skilled, but also highly motivated to support the men and women of the Navy and the work they do on behalf of Canadians. For Lockheed Martin Canada, an expansion in Halifax simply makes sense." Tom Digan, President
Lockheed Martin Canada |
“With its skilled workforce, business friendly environment, competitive costs, and advantageous geographical location, Nova Scotia has been a corner-stone of our Canadian operations for many years and will continue to an important part of our growth strategy.” Richard D. Ackerman, VP – Business Development
L-3 Electronic Systems |
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