MONTRÉAL, Sept. 13,
2024 /CNW/ - Space-based technology ‒ including
satellites ‒ keeps Canadians safe, helps us work, and connects us
with the world.
The Prime Minister, Justin
Trudeau, today was joined by the Premier of Quebec, François Legault, to announce an
agreement with Telesat to complete and operate
Lightspeed – one of the world's most innovative satellite
networks. With a $2.14 billion
loan from the federal government, Telesat Lightspeed will be
Canada's largest ever space
program, supporting 2,000 jobs across the country through Telesat
and its supply chain. This includes prime satellite contractor MDA
Space, who develops and operates the iconic Canadarm
technology.
Telesat Lightspeed will expand Internet and 5G networks in
communities across Canada, with
affordable, high-speed broadband connectivity. As a
low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite network, it will take less time to
send and receive information, leading to better and faster Internet
service, even in rural, remote, and Northern communities. The
network will accelerate the federal government's work to connect
all Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2030.
Because of this investment, Telesat has already increased its
Canadian workforce by 33 per cent over the last year. The company
will also invest over $4.4 billion in our economy over the next
15 years, create 200 post-secondary co‑op jobs, and provide
$1.6 million in scholarships to
students in Canada, with a focus
on women and Indigenous youth in science, technology, engineering,
and math programs.
In addition, the Telesat Lightspeed network will help the
Government of Canada bolster its
satellite communications technology and support North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Aerospace
Defense Command (NORAD) modernization to keep Canadians safe.
To facilitate high-volume manufacturing, construction is
underway on a 185,000-square-foot expansion at MDA's satellite
manufacturing facility in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. Once
completed, the facility will be the world's largest high-volume
satellite manufacturing facility in its satellite class – creating
jobs and supporting the construction of the Telesat Lightspeed
project.
Telesat Lightspeed will improve high-speed Internet across
Canada, create good-paying jobs,
grow the economy, and ensure that Canadians are at the forefront of
space technology. Alongside today's announcement, the Government of
Canada is bringing down the cost
of living, supporting research and innovation, investing in
affordable dental care, and helping every generation get a fair
shot.
Quotes
"Our government is focused on Canadians, and today's
announcement with Telesat and MDA is our commitment in action.
Designed, manufactured, and operated in Canada, the Telesat Lightspeed satellite
network will be the largest in Canadian history – creating
thousands of jobs, growing our economy, and getting high-speed
Internet to Canadians. We're putting Canada at the forefront of opportunity, with a
fair chance for everyone to succeed."
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau,
Prime Minister of Canada
"This is good news for our economy. Not only are we
consolidating 650 existing jobs, but we are also creating close to
1,000 high-paying jobs in a cutting-edge sector. It is also a
strategic project for Quebec. The
message we are sending today with the Telesat/MDA project is that
Quebec continues to make its mark.
The future of aerospace is happening right here in Quebec!"
— François Legault, Premier of Quebec
"Today, we are cementing Canada's position as a global leader in the
new space economy. This investment will create high-skilled jobs,
support innovation, and secure Canada's telecommunications systems. As the
largest space program ever conceived and built in Canada, this agreement with Telesat Lightspeed
will have a significant impact on the growing network of Canadian
suppliers and talent, offering critical support to the sector as it
continues to flourish."
— The Hon. François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"High-speed Internet is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity.
Today's investment in Telesat's Lightspeed project will help the
federal government achieve its goal of connecting all Canadians to
high-speed Internet by 2030 so that they get better access to the
services they need, no matter where they live."
— The Hon. Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic
Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency
"This satellite network is an effective way to provide
high-speed telecommunications across all regions of Quebec. We are proud to support these two
companies as they drive technological innovation, helping to
position Quebec as a true space
industry leader. And we are even prouder to see that companies are
locating here to take advantage of all that Quebec has to offer!"
— Christine Fréchette, Quebec's Minister of Economy, Innovation and
Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development, and
Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region
"We are pleased to conclude these funding arrangements with the
governments of Canada and
Quebec as we make strong progress
on the build-out of the revolutionary Telesat Lightspeed
constellation, the largest space program in Canada's history. Telesat Lightspeed will help
bridge the digital divide in Canada and throughout the world, create and
sustain thousands of high-quality jobs in Canada, deliver billions of dollars of
investment in the Canadian economy, spur domestic innovation and
exports, and ensure that Canada
and Quebec are at the forefront of
the rapidly growing new space economy."
— Dan Goldberg, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Telesat
"The global satellite market is at an inflection point as
satellite operators and customers shift to digital solutions like
MDA AURORA that offer greater
performance and flexibility at a significantly lower cost. Our
strategic investments in expanding our satellite production
facility and team are ideally timed to expand the export and growth
opportunities for the Canadian space industry in Quebec and across the country."
— Mike Greenley, Chief Executive Officer, MDA Space
Quick Facts
- Financing from the Government of Canada in support of this project will be
provided as a repayable loan. As part of this investment, the
federal government will receive interest on its loan and stock
warrants so that Canadian taxpayers benefit from the financial
success of Telesat's Lightspeed program.
- Established as a Crown corporation in 1969, Telesat is now a
Canadian-controlled and publicly traded corporation (TSAT: TSX and
Nasdaq), employing Canadians across five provinces and one
territory. It is one of the world's largest and most innovative
satellite operators.
- MDA Space is a Canadian-based global leader in space and
satellite technology.
- MDA's satellite manufacturing facility in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, is
purpose-built for the production of MDA
AURORA, the company's recently introduced industry-leading
digital satellite that will power Telesat Lightspeed.
- The Telesat Lightspeed program is already underway, with the
first of an initial 198 low-Earth-orbit satellites scheduled
to launch in 2026.
- Telesat Lightspeed will provide satellite capacity to multiple
industries, including aviation, maritime, and defence. It will also
provide capacity to Internet service providers to bring Internet
services to residences, businesses, and public institutions in
remote communities.
- Low-Earth-orbit satellites operate 35 times closer to the
Earth than traditional telecommunications satellites. This means
they take less time to send and receive information, leading to
better and faster Internet service, even in rural, remote, and
Northern areas.
- The borrower under the loan will be Telesat LEO Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Telesat Corporation.
- In 2016, 84 per cent of Canadians had access to high-speed
Internet. In 2022, this figure had already increased to almost 94
per cent. The federal government remains committed to its target of
ensuring 98 per cent of Canadians have access to high-speed
Internet by 2026 and 100 per cent of Canadians by 2030.
- Since 2016, the federal government has committed over
$3.7 billion to more than 600
projects to help bring high-speed Internet to over 1 million
rural and remote households across Canada, including 35,000 Indigenous
households.
Associated Links
- High-speed Internet for all Canadians
- High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy
- Telesat Lightspeed Low-Earth-Orbit Network
- MDA AURORA
This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca
SOURCE Prime Minister's Office