The world descends on Halifax this week for DEFSEC Atlantic.

Well, the defence world descends on Halifax. Rumours are it will smash attendance records.

CanadaxEurope

Oct 04, 2026

Well, the defence world descends on Halifax. Rumours are it will smash the old attendance record.

Freshly landed and live from Haligonia, this is your pre-DEFSEC guide.

On the agenda:

The secret to Canada’s 2nd largest defence show
Why international companies choose DEFSEC
Hey, wait, all the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard projects are awarded
Stay for the Donair, but come for the week-long activities

1) The secret to DEFSEC: Big things rarely look big when they start

In the late 70s, DEFSEC was nothing more than a dozen card tables at the Shearwater Air Show. Not a brand. Little buzz. I can’t find Shearwater on a map. Just a few companies wedged next to static aircraft.

Nobody would have guessed that it would be the seed of something that would anchor Canada’s East Coast defence industry, and make it the envy of the rest of the country.

By 2004, the industry side broke away from the air show altogether.

A new name.

A port-side venue.

And two years later, DEFSEC Atlantic was born.

The event still had a scrappy feel. A converted warehouse, pigeons in the rafters, and occasional bits of Cunard Centre ceiling collapsing on booths.

Fast forward to 2021, the Halifax Convention Centre and a full building. More than 1,000 delegates despite the pandemic.

More than 2,000 participants attended the 2025 edition. Big news about the DIA was paired at the same time.

This year, more than 3,000 participants are anticipated.

2) Why international companies choose DEFSEC

You can’t attend CANSEC without a CADSI membership. Or, if you’re from abroad, a national invitation negotiated by your government and Global Affairs Canada.

Anyone can attend DEFSEC.

You can’t exhibit at CANSEC - again, without membership, and lobbying and beating your way through a massive wait-list.

Anyone can exhibit at DEFSEC.

Although that is getting more difficult to say as event the new Convention Centre is strained for space.

This is not a dig at my friends at CADSI.

But, as the saying goes in business, your margin is my opportunity. And DEFSEC has positioned itself in that open-to-all space.

For those companies dipping their toes into the Canadian market, DEFSEC is your wisest low-risk bet. No memberships, low costs (albeit much smaller audience), and a great entry into the Canadian market.

Take this snapshot of attendees by country (note: we captured only registrations in the B2B tool):

Caveats aside, UK participation has doubled. German participation has tripled. Netherlands, Poland, Belgium and Latvia are all sending sizable delegations. Sweden is up, and Norway is on the list.

My knowledge of flags and geography hasn’t been this challenged since Carmen Sandiego in school.

We put together a handy mapping of all the foreign headquartered companies - big & small - in attendance.

3) Hey, wait, all the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard projects are already awarded

This year has seet plenty of naval contracts awarded, but the downstream supply-chain opportunities are months or years off and now is the time to pursue those opportunities.

These are the wavetops of most recent & current projects.

Canadian Coast Guard

Polar icebreaker was contracted this year. Medium icebreakers were contracted this year.

And ICEPACT - a rare example of trilateral cooperation in a moment of reshoring - seems on its way.

And the Mid-Shore Multi-Mission is on its way.

Royal Canadian Navy

With the submarine contract under negotiation, Canada has expanded its maritime-industrial footprint by choosing TKMS to supply our new submarine fleet. The largest defence procurement in Canadian history will definitely have supply chain gaps for SMBs to fill, and German & Norwegian industry are in town to build those partnerships.

Other projects like corvettes are in their infancy.

4) Stay for the Donair, but come for the week-long activities

Just like CANSEC, DEFSEC has turned into a week-long affair. And the decentralized nature of it all means that you can’t find all the information in one place.

So consider this your schedule.

Mon-Thursday: roughly 500 attendees are in town for NATO Innovation Continuum’s SHINE - the self-described grand finale of an annual cycle where military leaders, startups, and researchers conduct live demonstrations of emerging technologies.

Monday:

ACADA reception (1700-1900 members only)

Tuesday:

Trade Commissioner Briefing (0900-1130 - pre-register here)

Samuel Group reception (1730-1930 - a classic, must-attend - register here)

DEFSEC opening reception (1900-2100)

Stuart McKelvey reception (invite only)