Canada Awards $32 Million MDA Space Contract for Military Space-Surveillance Telescopes

Overview

• Three remotely operated telescope sites will be built in Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick, with delivery targeted by June 2028.
• The Canadian Armed Forces will operate the system to track orbital hazards and protect critical satellite infrastructure.
• The contract includes in-service support through June 2031 with two optional one-year extensions.
• Officials project roughly 80 jobs a year and about $9 million in annual GDP over six years from the work.
• The sensors will support allied missions through NORAD and Operation Olympic Defender, and a later Phase 2 will renew or replace space-based surveillance such as Sapphire.