Ottawa provides $33 million to Quebec companies for defence projects

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly speaks to the media after a dinner at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal in Montreal on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

Nearly 30 Quebec companies will share $33.6 million in federal government funding to “accelerate their integration into national and international defence supply chains.”

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly made the announcement Wednesday afternoon in Montreal, the day after Prime Minister Mark Carney presented the Industrial Defence Strategy.

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The $33.6 million in funding will support a total of 28 projects across Quebec. The funds will be used to finance the acquisition of equipment, marketing strategies, and facility upgrades.

The largest share goes to Héroux-Devtek, which is receiving $10 million to purchase equipment to increase its productivity. The Longueuil-based company designs and manufactures landing gear for the defence sector.

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The money comes from the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) for Quebec, which has a budget of $64.9 million over three years. Most of the funds announced Wednesday are repayable contributions.

To be eligible for financial assistance, companies must demonstrate that their project meets a current or future need of the Canadian Armed Forces, NATO, or an allied country.

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The RDI program is one of the five pillars of Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy, which includes investments of more than $500 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 18, 2026.

Frédéric Lacroix-Couture, The Canadian Press