Premier Ford drops new strategy to lock down 43K defence jobs

Premier pitches Ontario defence sector as feds go on defence spending spree.

Published May 28, 2026  •  Last updated 3 hours ago  •  2 minute read

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to the media before heading into the caucus room at Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Photo by Peter Power /Peter Power

OTTAWA — Hoping to get in on Canada’s newfound push to increase defence spending, Ontario announced the launch of the province’s first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy (ODIS) framework Thursday.

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Speaking at the CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa Thursday morning, Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the 10-year framework as a means to pitch the province as a secure and stable industrial defence base for both Canada and its allies.

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“The people here with us today understand better than most that the world is changing, and Canada needs to change with it,” Ford said during a press conference, using a Canadian Army LAV 6 reconnaissance vehicle as a backdrop. 

“Our government was elected with a mandate to protect Ontario, and we’re delivering on our plan.”

Plan aims to add 43,000 jobs, $400 million in new annual tax revenue

Ontario’s new defence framework is built upon four pillars — Strengthening Ontario’s industrial base to ensure firms have what they need to contribute, ensuring Ontario is ready to become Canada’s defence industrial centre, expanding the reach of the province’s exports, and constructing an integrated and robust defence supply chain.

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The plan anticipates adding 43,000 jobs by 2035, $400 million annually in provincial tax revenue and greatly increasing the number of defence-related industries that call Ontario home.

Ontario is home to around 300 defence-related industries, generating over $5 billion in annual revenue and employing 13,000 people.

ODIS, the government says, will play on Ontario’s strengths in R&D, critical minerals, aeronautics, nuclear energy and technology.

The federal government has plans to spend $63-billion on defence this year — part of a plan to advance defence spending over the next five years.

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Canada ramping up defence spending

With Canada already meeting NATO’s 2%-of-GDP defence spending benchmark for the first time and looking ahead to meeting the alliance’s new 5% target by 2035, Ottawa plans to spend an additional $81.8-billion over the next five years.

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“I want to let everyone here know that Ontario is willing to do their part,” Ford said.

“By 2035 defence spending will hit $150-billion annually in Canada alone, and an estimated $6.6trillion annually around the globe. Through our partnerships overseas, Canada also has access to defence contracts from our NATO allies.”

Ford’s CANSEC announcement came one day after Prime Minister Mark Carney used the trade show to reveal Canada was in talks with Swedish defence contractor Saab to procure an unspecified number of their GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft.

Based on the Mississauga-built Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, the potential GlobalEye purchase is part of Canada’s ongoing push to bolster our defences in light of changing world climates, and the national realization that Canada can’t rely on the United States for protection.

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