Success Stories

Alion Canada was established in 2007 for the purpose of developing a domestic ship design capability, primarily to support the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Since then, Alion Canada’s parent company, Alion Science and Technology, has invested heavily in growing naval architecture and engineering capability in Canada, increasing the Alion workforce in Ottawa from 2 to 58 employees. Alion is now a world leader in naval design and ship systems integration and is contributing significantly to several NSS projects, including the Joint Support Ships being built by Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards for the Royal Canadian Navy. Through extensive knowledge transfer from its operations in the United States, Alion Canada has been able to evolve its Canadian engineering capability for domestic and export programs, while also engaging domestically with a number of supply chain participants and academic organizations.

Most recently, Alion also recently announced a significant investment in the University of British Columbia’s Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program to help support an open-water hydrodynamic test facility.

BluMetric is an Ottawa, Ontario, based company employing approximately 170 people. The company provides cutting-edge work in the fields of water/wastewater treatment and professional environmental services.

BluMetric has been selected by Seaspan Vancouver Shipyard to design and deliver a Shipboard Reverse Osmosis Desalination System for the construction of the new Joint Support Ships. This will allow the company the opportunity to build on their experience working in the marine sector and specifically increase their experience working with Navy vessels through the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Bronswerk Group has a long relationship with the Royal Canadian Navy, having supplied Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Solutions (HVAC-R) for the Canadian Patrol Frigates since the 1980s. By being a leading global provider of HVAC systems, Bronswerk has secured contracts under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) on both coasts, providing Seaspan and Irving Shipbuilding Inc. with marine-grade HVAC-R systems and equipment. As a result of its contracts with both shipyards, Bronswerk has subcontracted work to more than 30 Quebec-based small- and medium-sized businesses and grown its Canadian operations by 25%. Bronswerk has also entered new markets as a result of its involvement in the NSS; a number of countries have expressed interest in equipment and engineering services, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Developing a Next Generation Flight Training System capability

Recipient: Carleton University

Profile: Carleton University is located in Ottawa, Ontario and is known for its Advanced Cognitive Engineering (ACE) Laboratory and Visualization and Simulation Centre.

Description: Carleton University is part of Top Aces’ team to build a Next Generation Flight Training System (NGFTS) capability. Students will have the benefit of developing the system and applying the knowledge to other projects both within the University and in their future careers.

The Marine People Partnership, operating through the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE), facilitated a multi-day conference in July of 2018 for 50+ educators from across Nova Scotia on experiential ocean education. The input from the teachers during this conference helped formulate the Taking Making into Classrooms: Ocean Toolkit, a collection of ocean activities for the classroom. Funding for the Marine People Partnership is part of Irving Shipbuilding’s Value Proposition commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Irving Shipbuilding provided blueprints and instructions so classes could build their very own Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS). The activity will help students understand the work of the engineers, skilled tradespeople, quality inspectors, and project managers who are building six AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy at Halifax Shipyard as part of the NSS.

Corvus Energy is a company based in Richmond, British Columbia, which provides high-power energy storage in the form of modular lithium ion battery systems. Its purpose-built, field-proven battery systems provide sustained power to hybrid and fully electric heavy industrial equipment, including large marine propulsion systems. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Corvus Energy has been selected for international export opportunities as a result of Industrial and Technological Benefits obligations on the Joint Support Ships and Offshore Fisheries and Science Vessels projects. Examples of the work provided by Corvus Energy include the supply of their Energy Storage Systems and research and development services for hybrid ferry applications abroad.

Developing AI solutions for disease detection and screening

Recipient: Darwin AI

Profile: An innovative industry 4.0 company based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Description: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics made a contribution to Darwin AI’s unique explainability platform, a rapidly eveloping field focused on making the decisions process of AI-based systems understandable to humans. Benefits to Darwin AI include partnering with an industry leader, securing resources to further develop its products such as COVID-Net (the company’s application to detect and screen Covid 19) and a well-received academic paper published internationally.

Genoa Design from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador has been providing production lofting, detail design, and 3D modeling services to shipbuilding and offshore industries around the world since 1995. Genoa’s technology, which builds a 3D model of a vessel from design specifications and extracts manufacturing information, is being used by Seaspan on the Offshore Fisheries and Science Vessels, the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel and the Royal Canadian Navy’s Joint Support Ships. Since securing work under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the company has grown more than six times in size and revenue, created an in-house academy for technical and career development, obtained ISO certification, has been awarded additional military, coast guard and science projects in the United States, and has added to its capacity and breadth of capabilities.

Headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, with a second location in Hamilton, IRCO Automation designs, engineers, and manufactures integrated welding automation solutions and weld positioning products that help improve quality and efficiency in heavy industry. As a result of their Industrial and Technological Benefits obligations on Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, BAE Systems has selected IRCO to design, fabricate and install a complete line of mechanized welding and positioning systems to help make submarine missile tubes for the United States Navy’s Virginia class submarines, the new backbone of the United States submarine force.

L3Harris MAPPS and its suppliers in Quebec have a long and productive relationship with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). As part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) has contracted L3Harris MAPPS to design and deliver the Integrated Platform Management System for the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships that are under construction by ISI. The relationship between L3Harris MAPPS, ISI, and the RCN continues to position L3Harris MAPPS to explore new export opportunities for its world-class product, which has already been deployed on over 250 warships in 22 different navies around the world.

With over 25 years of experience, LED Smart, a Canadian small business in Edmonton, Alberta, is at the forefront of advanced LED lighting systems and controls, with dual-use application in defence and commercial areas.

Photo ownership of Desiree Wartenbe/LED Smart

As a result of its ITB obligation on the Headquarters Shelter Systems (HQSS) Acquisition project, Weatherhaven selected LED Smart to develop and provide the specialized tactical lighting, power, and control systems for the HQSS. LED Smart has subsequently applied this technology on specialized lighting solutions for the United States (U.S.) Navy’s fleet of military combat and non-combat surface and below-surface seafaring vessels, as well as for the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Automatic Test System’s shelter. This significant increase in sales and production resulted in LED Smart hiring an additional 36 employees, growing their workforce to 76 personnel. It also resulted in the company opening a brand new state-of-the-art facility in Surrey, British Columbia, for work on specialized LED lighting, controls, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), research, development, design, in-house certification, testing, and high-speed production.

Mannarino Systems & Software (MANNARINO) is a Montréal-based small and medium business (SMB) providing safety-critical systems, software, and airborne electronic hardware engineering services to the aerospace, defense, and space industries.

In 2017, Lockheed Martin signed an Investment Framework Agreement with MANNARINO, as a direct result of its Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy obligations on its In-Service-Support contract for the maintenance and support of 17 CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft. This $10M USD agreement represents the largest investment ever made by LM into an SMB in Canada and it enabled MANNARINO to develop and commercialize its own airborne software products.

This ITB investment has helped to create more than 25 new jobs in MANNARINO’s head office in Montréal, Quebec; jobs focussed on both engineering research and development and the commercialization of Mannarino’s own proprietary real-time operating system (RTOS). As a result, Mannarino has received additional work from multiple companies in the civil aviation industry to provide engineering services and integrate its RTOS on to next-generation avionics products. With the commercialization of its own RTOS, MANNARINO is also the only commercial off-the-shelf RTOS supplier with certification delegation.

Advancing solar panel technology in aerospace and defence

Recipient: Meta Materials Inc.

Profile: Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, META is a developer of high-performance functional materials and intelligent surfaces. META is pioneering a new class of multi-functional materials which have engineered properties that go beyond what is found in nature.

Description: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has contributed to a collaborative R&D project to help accelerate the commercialization of META’s Rolling Mask Lithography technology into the aerospace and defence industry, for next generation solar applications. There is potential in other growth areas, such as telecommunications, consumer electronics and the automotive market.

Modest Tree is a Nova Scotia-based simulation and training software developer that is creating a first-of-its-kind virtual reality training solution in the marine sector to help train the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy to operate and maintain the engines of the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship currently under construction at Halifax Shipyard. The development and delivery of the virtual reality trainer will create seven new full-time technology positions in software development, expanding Modest Trees team to 31.

With a focus on ocean transportation through Canada’s Arctic, the Enhanced Capacity for Oil Spill Situational Awareness and Response (ECOSAR) is one of nine research projects supported by Irving Shipbuilding’s $2-million investment in the Nunavut Arctic College. The investment supports nine applied Arctic research projects focused on areas of importance to Canada’s Arctic communities and marine industry. The ECOSAR team is led by C-CORE, a not-for-profit research-and-development corporation based at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. C-CORE specializes in research-based advisory services and technology solutions for harsh environments. The project includes work on detecting oil spills through satellite data, and appropriately training local responders.

In August 2018, the ECOSAR team worked closely with the Nunavut Department of Environment to prepare and deliver an oil spill response course in Iqaluit, Nunavut. This workshop was attended by 20 representatives from every region of Nunavut. These representatives became trainers, with the goal of returning to their regions to help build a critical mass of potential responders to oil spills for all Nunavut communities.

Founded in 1979, OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) is recognized as a global high-tech company and is the only Canadian company that provides integrated navigation and bridge systems. OSI has grown substantially with offices spread across four continents. OSI will be performing project management, engineering, testing and documentation work on the Integrated Bridge and Navigation Systems of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) being built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. This work is directly contributing to more than 35 high-tech jobs at OSI in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Pratt & Whitney US supported the development of the new Pratt & Whitney Canada Mirabel Aerospace Centre (MAC) for the assembly and test of new engines. The MAC will be responsible for the assembly of the PW800 engine for the next generation of business class jets and the PurePower® PW150G engines for the Bombardier CSeries. The MAC will also feature an engine flight test facility that will house two 747 aircraft that have been retro fitted to conduct flight tests. The test facility will be a global flight test centre for all of Pratt & Whitney's next generation of engines.

The Mirabel Aerospace Centre is a leading, state of the art 300,000-square-foot facility for Pratt & Whitney Canada, a United Technologies Company. It represents a $360 million investment and will employ approximately 300 people within the next five years. The facility is located at the Montreal-Mirabel Airport in Mirabel, Quebec.

The development of this facility is a part of Pratt & Whitney IRB obligation on the purchase of 18 engines for Canada's fleet of C-17 transport aircraft. This IRB activity will generate approximately $108 million in IRB activity, which does not include investments from the Quebec government. This project is an example how the IRB Policy can help ensure high technology work comes to Canada.

Rheinmetall Canada operates a large facility in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, where it manufactures and services a variety of advanced weapon and defence systems. The IRB Policy has been an important factor in the company's success and growth over the years.

First, the Quebec facility (originally owned by Oerlikon Contraves) was established as an IRB activity itself, as part of the Air Defence Anti-Tank System (ADATS) project won by Oerlikon in 1986. Over the years, the company developed a strong knowledge of the Canadian procurement process and requirements, in part through performing long-term in-service support on the ADATS .

Oerlikon Contraves was sold to the Rheinmetall Group in 1999. Since then, the Rheinmetall Group has won several military contracts with the Canadian government, including the Halifax Class Modernization Shield Replacement, Close Area Suppression Weapon and the Repair and Overhaul of the 42 Leopard 2 A4 Training Tanks. In each case, Rheinmetall Canada successfully leveraged the IRB Policy as part of its business case to secure technology transfer and major parts of the work share from its parent companies. This work has helped diversify its product base, promote long-term job and financial stability and position Rheinmetall Canada for future growth.

Rosborough Boats, a third-generation Nova Scotia boat builder, is working directly with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship project, providing 12 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats. This work is allowing Rosborough to sustain and grow its current workforce, as well as providing new opportunities to partner with other small businesses in Nova Scotia. In 2018, Rosborough achieved a key milestone with the delivery of the first boat to the Royal Canadian Navy. This long-term, mutually beneficial partnership with ISI will help Rosborough Boats pursue export opportunities in international markets.

TC Energy is a major North American energy company, based in Calgary, Alberta, that develops and operates energy infrastructure across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

TC Energy and Lockheed Martin entered into an agreement in 2019 to identify and develop large-scale, long duration energy storage projects using Lockheed Martin’s GridStar^® Flow technology; the first project of which is the Saddlebrook Solar + Storage Project, located in Aldersyde, Alberta. The facility is expected to consist of a ~400 acre solar generating facility, and Lockheed Martin’s GridStar^® Flow Energy Storage System (ESS), to provide a dispatchable source of clean energy to Alberta’s electric power grid. It will be one of the first and most substantial large-scale solar and flow battery projects in Canada and is expected to provide up to 102.5 megawatts (MW) of solar power — enough electricity to power approximately 30,000 homes.

The project includes the research expertise in sustainable electrical energy systems from the University of Calgary. The University supports the project through the development of ESS modeling to increase the efficiency of power dispatching during times of lower solar activity. A team of professors and graduate students from the Schulich School of Engineering leads this effort.

Lockheed Martin is providing an investment of $11.3 million to this collaborative research partnership to support its Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) obligations on the Tactical Airlift Capability project. This is an excellent example of how the ITB Policy can leverage defence procurement to support innovation and collaborative research around clean technology capabilities. Contributions from Lockheed Martin and TC Energy will create over 100 jobs in Southern Alberta and the project is expected to reduce GHG emissions by up to 115,000 tonnes per year.

This innovative project has also been awarded $10 million in funding through Emissions Reduction Alberta’s BEST Challenge, a funding opportunity supporting Biotechnology, Electricity, & Sustainable Transportation projects.

Supporting advanced nuclear power plant design

Recipient: Terrestrial Energy

Profile: Based in Oakville, Ontario, Terrestrial Energy is a technology company developing a Generation IV advanced nuclear plant design, aimed at delivering clean, low-cost and reliable energy.

Description: L3Harris MAPPS contributed simulation software and training that will support Terrestrial Energy in the design of its technology, by providing a responsive simulation environment. For Terrestrial Energy, this partnership represents a long term collaboration with a leader in nuclear power plant simulation technology.

Toolcomm, an Aboriginal-owned small business based on the Capilano First Nations Reserve in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been working on shipbuilding projects since 2011. Toolcomm was originally contracted to work on the Mid-shore Patrol Vessel as part of the Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy. Most recently, Lockheed Martin Canada’s (LMC) partners sub-contracted Toolcomm to provide Voice over Internet Protocol and High Frequency Radios for the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) project. Toolcomm’s unique know-how in developing custom hardware, firmware, software, and electro-mechanical devices, has made it a valuable asset to Irving Shipbuilding Inc., LMC, and the entire AOPS project.

The Boeing Company, as part of its IRB activities on the Strategic Airlift Project, is donating funding over a five-year period to a joint project between the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University (SFU) to evaluate and improve visual analytic processes for interpreting complex data. The goal of the project is to develop new processes for using 2D and 3D visual analytical models and statistical data to improve the maintainability and reliability of new aerospace products. The investment will help the university consortium become a leader in applied visual analytics.

The project includes the development of an applied visual analytics curriculum. Project results will be published, presented and shared in workshops. Along with the cash donation, the universities benefit from the expertise of Boeing engineering staff and in-house internship opportunities. The relationship among Boeing, UBC and SFU is proving successful, already resulting in significant research, published work and internship opportunities and more on the near horizon.

Establishing an advanced satellite research facility

Recipient: University of Manitoba (UM)

Profile: Located in Winnipeg, UM is one of Canada’s oldest universities and a top research institution.

Description: Magellan Aerospace contributed to the establishment of an Industrial Research Chair in satellite development and the opening of the Advanced Satellite Integration Facility (ASIF). The successful initiative is providing the opportunity for UM researchers to investigate, construct and test satellite systems and equipment - a unique capability in a state-of-the-art facility.