VICTORIA BELBIN – President & CEO of ACADA
BY JAMES CARELESS
As part of CDR’s annual Atlantic Canada themed issue, we asked Ottawa Bureau Chief, James Careless, to speak to Victoria Belbin, President & CEO of the Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (ACADA). Her association has close to 200 members, most of whom are small-to-medium-sized businesses within the Atlantic region of Canada. In this exclusive interview with CDR, Belbin outlined the many ways in which ACADA is promoting the Atlantic Canadian defence industry at home and abroad.
CDR: Why was ACADA created?
Victoria Belbin: ACADA was formed from an amalgamation of four Atlantic provincial associations in 2015-2016. The industry engaged the provinces and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to become one regional industry association. I believe it was a very wise decision, as we now have a united voice for the region and have been able to create high value for our members. We have strong engagement with each of our members, and this comes through in our surveys and participation in programming. As a result, our membership is growing, diversifying, and getting stronger every year.
CDR: What does ACADA offer its members?
Victoria Belbin: Currently, we offer a series of enhanced competitiveness programs for our core members in the areas of workforce development, digital adoption, certification and accreditation, greening and ESG, and supplier development. These programs were specifically designed to enable our companies to reach new heights and are funded through our partnership with ACOA and the Atlantic provinces.
One program that we are particularly proud of is MACH Atlantic, our supplier development program. We are currently working with our first cohort while recruiting for our second. One of the biggest supporters of this program is Irving Shipbuilding, as they are working with four of our Cohort 1 companies.
Our main event this year was the Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety (MASS) Conference, which was held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, on July 16-18. MASS is Canada’s premier gathering of government, military, industry leaders, northern stakeholders, and researchers focused on security and defence in northern and maritime environments. Now in its twelfth year, MASS has established itself as Canada’s leading conference for exploring emerging threats and how Canadian companies are leading the way in ensuring a safe and secure, and sustainable future for Canada, North America, and the world with their innovative products, services, and research. The challenges and opportunities in these critical regions are paramount to the sovereignty of Canada and North America.
TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES
CDR: What took place at this year’s MASS?
Victoria Belbin: The first day of the conference was carefully structured to build a narrative. We began by setting the stage with a discussion on today’s geopolitical landscape, featuring a panel of expert voices, one of whom is Paul Peyton, NATO DIANA’s Military Deputy Director, North America. From there, we shifted to a northern perspective, examining how global dynamics are playing out in the Arctic and what that means for the region.
This year, we were pleased to welcome Leslie Canavera, CEO of PolArctic, as our keynote speaker. She uniquely combines cutting-edge Arctic-focused AI innovation, deep geospatial and defence expertise, and Indigenous leadership to address the region’s most pressing maritime challenges with both technical precision and cultural insight.
Later in the day, we brought it all together with a panel discussion on northern opportunities in this evolving global context. We invited respected leaders from the North to share their insights, such as Garry Best, CEO of Nunatsiavut Group of Companies, and Udlu Hanson, Vice President, Baffinland. We followed this panel with a roundtable discussion to dive deeper into these topics.
Finally, we closed out with our ACOA-led B2B/G program, facilitating targeted meetings between companies and government or industry partners to explore collaboration, procurement, and partnership opportunities.
On Day Two, we kicked things off with a Canadian Arctic Outlook, featuring leaders from the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Coast Guard. Following that, we moved into two focused panels: “Icebreaker Collaboration Effort or ‘ICE PACT’ – Innovating Icebreakers – What does this mean for Shipbuilding in Canada?’ and ‘Under the Surface: Enhancing Operational Readiness and Mission Effectiveness in Canada’s Submarine Fleet’.
To close the conference, we brought everyone together to reflect on the insights and perspectives gathered over the two days.
CDR: Coming up, ACADA will attend DSEI UK 2025, the global defence trade show in London on September 9-12, 2025. Tell us more about that.
Victoria Belbin: Yes. DSEI London is held every two years and stands as the largest defence trade show we support on behalf of our members. This year, we are proud to be part of the Canadian Pavilion once again. ACADA will host a dedicated booth featuring kiosks for seven of our member companies, along with a meeting space within the pavilion to facilitate business development and strategic networking.
We also have a strong delegation of participants in our Walker Program. With over 20 companies already confirmed to attend the show with ACADA, the momentum is strong. This program offers valuable exposure, as our companies are regularly highlighted during meetings with international delegations and trade commissioners. Interest in the UK defence market has been steadily growing, especially with Prime Minister Carney’s recent commitment to the ReArm Europe initiative, making this an especially timely opportunity.
ACADA is strategically located on the trade show floor, giving our companies excellent visibility. In addition to the seven companies featured in our booth, we have over 10 more participating through our Walker Program, joining us under the ACADA banner. One of the standout moments of the week is our signature networking reception, hosted aboard a riverboat on the Thames. It’s a highly sought-after invitation and a true highlight of the show for many attendees.
CDR: And then there’s DEFSEC 2025. Please tell us about that.
Victoria Belbin: We are excited to be gearing up for DEFSEC, taking place October 1–2 in Halifax. As the presenting sponsor, ACADA will have a major presence on the trade show floor, and we’re proud to host our Annual Dinner and Industry Awards on opening day, October 1st.
DEFSEC consistently draws strong attendance from across Canada’s defence and aerospace sectors, and with many of our members in Halifax that week, we are planning several additional networking opportunities. For example, on Monday, September 29, we are partnering with ACOA to host an afternoon industry engagement session with a prime contractor, followed by an evening reception focused on the topic of Access to Capital for Defence SMEs. These events are excellent opportunities for our SMEs to connect, collaborate, and grow within the industry.
HOW IS ATLANTIC CANADA’S
DEFENCE INDUSTRY FARING?
CDR: All told, how is the Atlantic Canadian defence industry doing?
Victoria Belbin: Atlantic Canada is experiencing significant growth in aerospace, defence, and shipbuilding. We attribute this to recent major federal investments through the National Shipbuilding Strategy and other strategic initiatives, and we are seeing transformative economic activity across the region. This momentum is fueling a rapidly expanding supply chain and creating high-quality jobs.
Within the last year, we have seen recent investments in projects that are strengthening our innovation ecosystem and preparing our workforce for the future of defence technology such as NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) in Halifax, supported by a $26.6 million federal commitment.
CDR: Finally, what impact do you expect Canada’s increased defence spending to have on ACADA’s membership?
Victoria Belbin: With the federal government’s renewed commitment to reaching the NATO target of 2% in defence spending, we anticipate a significant impact here in Atlantic Canada. Based on current projections and net spending estimates, this could translate into an additional $1.4 billion in investments in our region over the next one to two years and we can expect more now that the federal government has committed to the NATO target of 5% over the next decade.
This is a clear testament to the strategic value Atlantic Canada brings to Canada’s defence landscape. We have a well-established ecosystem, a strong industrial base, and a unique geographic position that makes us a natural hub for defence growth. Our region is home to all three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Canadian Coast Guard. We boast world-class academic institutions across all four Atlantic Provinces.
It is no surprise that major defence primes and OEMs are choosing to establish operations here. They are located close to their customers and tapping into a region that is ready to grow.
James Careless is CDR’s Ottawa Bureau Chief
