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2mo ago

Canada Unveils Space Launch Act to Enable Homegrown Rocket Flights

The bill sets up a clear licensing system for spaceflight operations from Canadian soil to unlock private investment.

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announces Canadian Space Launch Act on April 21, 2026. (Daniel Arnold/iPolitics)
Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, arrives to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Steven MacKinnon holds a press conference following the introduction of legislation to amend the Aeronautics Act in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A pre-recorded video showing Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen is shown during a viewing party of the Artemis II launch, in Longueuil, near Montreal, Quebec, on April 1, 2026. Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket April 1 on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. With an intense roar that reverberated far beyond the launchpad, the enormous orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at approximately 6:35 pm local time, according to an AFP journalist onsite. "We're going to the Moon!" yelled a spectator. (Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV / AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon introduced the Canadian Space Launch Act, which would let the federal government license rocket launches and spacecraft re-entries from Canadian territory.
  • The bill establishes safety oversight, sets insurance and indemnification rules, and aligns launches with aviation and marine traffic to reduce operational risk.
  • Maritime Launch Services said the legislation provides the certainty needed to attract customers and activate Spaceport Nova Scotia, while NordSpace pursues a site in Newfoundland.
  • Officials argue Canada’s lack of a domestic launch option has pushed work to foreign providers, most often in the United States, and left critical missions exposed to outside delays.
  • The move builds on a $200 million pledge for core spaceport infrastructure and comes as the space sector reported $5.0 billion in 2022 revenue and a 2023 workforce of 13,888, with government citing strong long‑term market projections.