Prime Minister Mark Carney is making new defence investments to defend our people and our values, to secure our sovereignty, and to protect our allies. More than just a budget line, the announcement of over $9 billion is a bold call to action as Canada recalibrates and rebuilds in a rapidly shifting global landscape.
With alliances under strain and global competition and conflict intensifying, doubling down on defence capabilities, innovative industrial strategy and personnel is necessary to meet the moment with decisive action.
But bold investments alone aren’t enough. Achieving the ambitious goal of recruiting 13,000 new CAF members and advancing BOREALIS — the Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Innovation and Science — initiative means investing in people, skills, and made-in-Canada systems, capabilities and innovation. Lasting impact will come from leveraging and scaling the proven strength of partners who have long supported Canada’s national resilience.
Public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics are among those key partners. They’re building talent, training workers, and powering the jobs and solutions that support our defence readiness — and they’re ready to do more.
Recognized Military Training
Colleges and institutes across Canada offer a wide range of programs aligned with the needs of the CAF, particularly in high-demand technical fields such as cybersecurity, health care, engineering, and logistics.
And, a growing number of colleges and institutes are going even further to support military-connected learners through Military-connected Campuses (MCCs), which play a vital role in supporting retention and successful transition, helping military-connected learners upskill, reskill, and thrive during and after service.
- Algonquin College, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Fanshawe College, Georgian College, Humber Polytechnic, Lambton College, Loyalist College, Nova Scotia Community College, and Portage College – all offer tailored supports, transition pathways, and targeted programming designed specifically for CAF members, veterans, Department of National Defence employees, and their families.
- Read more: The CAF Education Experience Equivalency (CAF 3E) Consultancy Team supports this alignment by identifying civilian post-secondary programs that meet the training needs of CAF occupations with direct civilian equivalent
Civilian Workforce Development
With defence needs expanding beyond the uniformed military, colleges and institutes are also actively training a growing civilian workforce to support CAF missions and infrastructure.
For example:
- Fanshawe College – home to Canada’s first-ever Military Connected College – supports learning-to-employment pathways for military-connected learners pursuing careers in the skilled trades.
- Nova Scotia Community College delivers skill development in marine, aerospace, and defence technologies – sectors critical to Canada’s operational readiness.
- Forty-six Canadian post-secondary institutions – including BCIT, Camosun College, Centennial College, Canadore College, and Conestoga College – have engaged in defence-related skills training and upskilling initiatives through the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy.
- Canada’s colleges and institutes also offer top-tier culinary training and can support military chef schools by expanding their capacity to meet growing demand for skilled talent.
- Additionally, the Non-Commissioned Member Subsidized Training and Education Plan lists more than 200 fully funded college and institute programs for current or aspiring CAF members (from trades to advanced tech) helping to bridge education and service.
Applied Research & Innovation
Colleges and institutes are hubs for applied research that drives innovation in defence technologies – everything from advanced materials and robotics to Arctic resilience and cyber defence.
- SAIT is home to Canada’s first remotely piloted aviation training centre, with immersive mission planning using virtual reality and simulation labs supporting remotely piloted systems.
- Camosun College supports the defence and emergency sectors with 3D printing, robotics, and simulation. The college has collaborated on projects ranging from unmanned aerial vehicles to driving simulators and even face shield production during COVID-19.
- Nova Scotia Community College maps vulnerable coastlines through its Applied Geomatics Research Group, using high-resolution remote sensing, with applications in flood risk, erosion mitigation, and maritime defence.
- Cégep Edouard-Montpetit’s Aerospace Technology Centre supports SMEs in aerospace innovation, enhancing their capacity to deliver high-quality components and systems.
- Cégep Lionel-Groulx’s CIMEQ centre advances embedded, connected, distributed, and intelligent microelectronic systems – key for smart automation and predictive defence technologies.
- Niagara College’s Advanced Manufacturing lab supports a wide range of sectors through expertise in metrology services, mechanical, electronic, mechatronic design and photonics, which can be used to improve the design of technologies used by the armed forces.
College and institute applied research expertise can also be leveraged to support the work that will be undertaken by BOREALIS to help the defence industry adopt new made-in-Canada innovative technologies.
Northern Security & Arctic Readiness
CICan members north of 60° – Yukon University, Nunavut Arctic College, Aurora College, and Collège nordique francophone – are the primary providers of post-secondary education in the region and are well positioned to train the skilled workforce needed to support Arctic sovereignty and security.
- These institutions are active members of the University of the Arctic (UArctic) – a network fostering Indigenous research, regional innovation, and training across the circumpolar North. They collaborate with southern partners like Conestoga, Keyano, and Northlands colleges to build resilient, regionally grounded solutions.
Spotlight on Collaboration: Quebec’s Naval Training Consortium
Did you know that six CEGEPs have come together to meet Quebec’s shipbuilding needs by integrating robotics, marine materials technology, and electronics into next-generation naval construction programs? This is the kind of regionally grounded, industry-driven training and innovation Canada needs more of to remain competitive and resilient!
The Consortium de formation en construction navale is led by the Institut Maritime du Québec.
What it Will Take:
Canada’s defence investments are a call to action, and our pan-Canadian network of colleges, institutes, CEGEPs and polytechnics are the key partners needed to drive the transformation – to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces and advance Canada’s defence industrial strategy.
Realizing this vision will require:
- Targeted investment in training the civilian defence workforce;
- Support for strategic partnerships with military schools aligned to CAF occupations with civilian equivalency; and
- Backed expansion of college-led applied research and innovation through initiatives like BOREALIS.
The College Defence Training and Innovation Network
To mobilize our network, CICan is convening a coalition of member institutions interested in playing a leadership role to support Canada’s historic investments in our military capacity and defence infrastructure. Together, we’ll highlight the essential role of our sector, shape national conversations, and collaborate closely with federal partners.
Learn more and join our new defence network!
Canada’s prosperous and secure future is being built now. Meeting the ambition and urgency of the moment will mean building it together with proven partners.
Let’s build it together.