OTTAWA — Ottawa has signed a new strategic partnership with the Canadian firms Telesat and MDA Space to develop military satellite communications for the Canadian Armed Forces in the Arctic.

Stephen Fuhr, the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, says the Canadian Armed Forces have limited satellite communications options in the region, with most currently available options consisting of commercial rather than military networks.

A strategic partnership is a rare approach to procurement that places industry closer to the beginning of the process.

The partnership falls under the polar component of the government’s enhanced satellite communications project.

It’s one of the first military procurements managed under the new Defence Investment Agency, which manages projects worth more than $100 million.

The federal government awarded a project contract to Telesat in partnership with MDA Space worth $2.92 million for engineering and analysis.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2025.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press