On March 9, 2026, the government announced that the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) would invest more than CAD 900 million (~US$650 million) under Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy. The release said the package includes work to reinforce Canada’s position in quantum technologies for defence applications.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada said the NRC would use the funding to support defence and dual-use technologies alongside new work on drones, aerospace technologies, biomedical countermeasures, and Defence Industry Assist under the Industrial Research Assistance Program. The quantum element was published in the Defence Industrial Strategy announcement.