Are Canadian Companies Prepared for Increased Defence Spending? | The Rundown

Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to bolster Canada’s defence sector and NATO commitments and has pledged billions more in the years ahead. But are Canadian manufacturers prepared to develop and produce the systems of the future? Is the workforce available? We get insight from Brendan Sweeney, managing director of the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing. 00:00 Intro 00:20 How many Canadian companies work in defense manufacturing? 00:57 Regional clusters in Ontario 01:42 What Canada already produces for defense 02:34 Satellite and space manufacturing (MDA, Brampton) 02:49 Skills gaps: machinists, welders & engineers 04:16 Can auto plants pivot to defense manufacturing? 05:02 Automotive–aerospace–defense supply chain links 06:01 Waiting for Canada’s Defense Industrial Policy 07:14 What the government wants to know about sector capacity About The Rundown: The Rundown is your nightly half-hour deep dive into just one headline. With host Jeyan Jeganathan, we’ll cover everything from housing and health care to climate and AI. We’ll break down why each topic matters, who’s living it, and what’s being done to make things better – starting right here in Ontario. Slow down. Tune in. Make sense of the moment. And tell us what you think.