Industry Minister Melanie Joly says a new Canadian investment in the ESA would advance research and development of Canadian-made space technologies.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canada, seeking tighter ties with the European Union, will boost its investment in European Space Agency programs by $528.5-million, a tenfold increase compared to previous contributions, a top cabinet member said on Tuesday.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who won an April election on the back of a promise to diversify the economy in the face of U.S. tariffs, is pressing for tighter defence and security relations with the EU.
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The money will be spent over a three- to five-year period. In a statement, Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the investment would advance research and development of Canadian-made space technologies for both civilian and defence purposes.
These include satellite communications, Earth observation, space exploration, positioning, navigation and timing, and space situational awareness, she said.
The European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket blasts off from the Guiana Space Centre carrying an Earth observation satellite on Nov. 4, 2025.RONAN LIETAR/AFP/Getty Images