Associations and Alliances
The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) – A not-for-profit organization advocating on aerospace policy issues that have a direct impact on aerospace companies and aerospace jobs in Canada.
The Alliance for Commercialization of Canadian Technologies (ACCT) – An advocacy group for technology transfer and commercialization.
The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA Alliance) – The largest hi-tech association in Canada focused on software and telecommunications.
The Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI) – A nonprofit technical organization for aeronautics, space and remote sensing.
The Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries (CADSI) – The “voice” the Canadian defense and security industries and organizers of the annual CANSEC trade shows.
The Canadian Astronomical Society – Professional astronomers dedicated to the advancement of knowledge.
The Canadian Space Society (CSS) – A non-profit corporation promoting Canadian space activities. Organizes the annual Canadian Space Summit.
CANEUS – A non-profit organization fostering the development of Micro and Nano Technologies (MNT).
Friends of the CRC – An association of alumni of the Communications Research Centre (CRC), the government department responsible for most of Canada’s early satellite launches. Provides articles on early Canadian efforts by some of the people who were actually there.
The Geomatics Industry Association of Canada (GIAC) – Canada’s premier source of information on geomatics, the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering geographic or spatially referenced information.
The Space Angels Network – an American based network of angel investors that also accepts investors and clients from Canadian and Europe, focused on the aviation and aerospace markets, but includes space-themed business (such as entertainment / media projects).
Space Launch Canada – A federally incorporated initiative dedicated to giving Canada its first space launch centre capable of launching space missions into Earth’s orbit and to solar system destinations such as the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Educational Facilities
The Canadian Foundation for the International Space University (CFISU) – The charitable organization promoting the International Space University (ISU) in Canada.
The Carlton University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering – They came in third in the 2008 NASA Great Moon Buggy Race.
The Centre for Planetary Science & Exploration at the University of Western Ontario – Focused on building planetary science, exploration and space systems design.
The Institute for Space Science, Exploration and Technology (ISSET) at the University of Alberta – A pioneering interdisciplinary centre for planetary and space research in Canada at one of Canada’s largest research-intensive universities. One of the organizers of the Canada-Norway Student Sounding Rocket (CaNoRock) exchange program.
Laurentian University – Awarded the 2011 Lunabotics Challenge to a team from Laurentian University according to this May 31st press release on the NASA Lunar Science Institute website.
McGill Institute of Air and Space Law – Training aviation and space focused lawyers to serve throughout the world. Co-hosting the 2011 American Bar Association Forum on Air and Space Law at the at the Marriot Château Champlain, in Montréal from September 22nd – 23rd, 2011.
The Ryerson University Engineering Graduate Program – Focuses on aerodynamics and propulsion, aerospace structures and manufacturing, avionics and aerospace systems.
The University of Saskatchewan – Home of the University of Saskatchewan Space Design team, a student run organization which dominated the recent NASA sponsored Space Elevator Games and is now preparing to build a nano-satellite as part of the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CSDC).
The University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) – The first Canadian academic institution able to build low cost spacecraft, micro-satellites and nano-satellites. Collaborates with business, government and academic institutions on the development of new space technologies and strengthening the Canadian skill base in space systems engineering. According to Wikipedia the institute “has seen a number of firsts: world’s first microwave-powered aircraft, the world’s first engine-powered ornithopter (both inventions of James DeLaurier) and Canada’s first space telescope MOST.” Areas of expertise include aircraft design (particularly at subsonic speeds), flight simulation, space robotics, micro satellite technology, computational fluid dynamics and nuclear fusion. The facility has close relationships with Bombardier, NASA Ames, and MD Robotics (formerly Spar Aerospace).
The University of Waterloo – Home of the University of Waterloo Mars Rover Team which competed in the 2011 University Rover Challenge, an annual event organized by the US based Mars Society.
The York University Faculty of Science and Engineering - Has contributed the Phoenix Scout Mission, SCISAT (the Canadian Space Agency mission to research the ozone layer) the Canadian WINDII instrument (on NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) and the Canadian OSIRIS instrument (for Sweden’s Odin satellite). Also home of the York University Rover Team which also competed in the 2011 University Rover Challenge, an annual event organized by the US based Mars Society.
Entrepreneurial
The Canadian Association of Business Incubators (CABI) – Dedicated to the development of new enterprises.
The Canadian Venture Capital Association (CVCA) – Venture capital and private equity.
The European Space Incubator – Based in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, this business incubator run by the European Space Agency (ESA) is focused on space commercialization activities.
The MaRS Discovery District – A Toronto business incubator focused on the medical and IT industries but open to new ideas. Hosted the national CSCA conference and AGM in 2008 (the Accelerating Space Conference), 2009 (the Canadian Newspace Conference focused on “Domestic and International Opportunities for 2009 and Beyond“), 2010 (the 2010 CSCA Conference and Annual General Meeting highlighting “the growing Canadian Commercial Space Sector“) and 2011 (the 2011 CSCA Conference and Annual General Meeting assessing “the Next Breakthrough Space Technologies for Canada“).
The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) – An organization of Canadian angel capital investors.
Government
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) – The federal government agency responsible for Canada’s civilian space program. The CSA works with the Department of National Defense (DND) on military space focused activities and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on activities related to international cooperation and technology transfer.
Industry Canada – The CSA is a part of Industry Canada and is governed by Industry Canada policies on Canadian science and technology (S&T) strategy including the Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage report (May 2007), the Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage Progress Report (June 2009) and various other federal government position papers relating to S&T innovation, research and technology.
The National Research Council (NRC) – The primary Canadian government resource for S&T funding. The NRC works with the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and the Networks of Centres of Excellence to provide government funds for S&T research and development in Canada.
Museums
The Aero Space Museum of Calgary – Supports and encourages educational activities and through collections and displays related to Canadian aviation history in general and to the City of Calgary in particular.
The Canadian Air and Space Museum – Telling distinctly Canadian stories of aviation, space history and innovation. The museum is located in the original 1929 home of the de Havilland Aircraft (one of Canada’s most successful aircraft manufacturers) and SPAR Aerospace (the original developer of the iconic Canadarm remote manipulator system for the US space shuttle and the International Space Station).
Canada Aviation and Space Museum – Part of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation, which operates three museums: the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the Canada Agriculture Museum.
News, Historical Writing and Reports
Canadian Space Flight History – A short history of Canadian efforts by Chris Gainor, the author of Arrows to the Moon and Canada in Space.
Canada’s 50 Years in Space: The COSPAR Anniversary – Provides a thorough description of the parallel growth of the Canadian space science program and the international activities of the Paris based Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) from 1958 up until the 50th Anniversary of COSPAR in 2008. Written by Gordon Shepherd and Agnes Kruchio.
Canadian Space Directory – The Canadian Space Agency’s listing of private and public organizations engaging is space related activities in Canada.
The Chapman Report – Canada is today an international leader in the fields of communications and remote sensing because of John Chapman (1921-1979) who was senior author of a report entitled “Upper Atmosphere and Space Programs in Canada.” The document, written in 1967 and now known simply as the “Chapman Report,” recommended using Canadian satellite and space technology for commercial activities such as communications and resource management instead of focusing only on scientific research. Over time, the report became “Canada’s Original Blueprint” for space activities.
The Commercial Space Blog – News focusing on the Canadian space systems industry, the partnerships developed to maintain and grow the industry and the politics surrounding those partnerships written by CSCA treasurer Chuck Black. Useful recent articles include a four part backgrounder on Canada’s Military Space Policy, a short history of Canada’s largest space systems companies under the title The “Three Kings” of Canadian Commercial Space and the three part Two Billion Dollars for the Canadian Space Agency, which provides a little background on recent CSA requests for additional funding.
The Microsat Way in Canada – A paper written by Peter Stibrany and Kieran A. Carroll discussing how micro-satellite manufacturing methodologies will change the economics of space applications and reduce the barriers to entry for new companies. This is the basis for the methodologies in use today at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) Space Flight Laboratory (SFL).
SpaceRef Canada – Space news, as it happens from SpaceRef Interactive Chief Architect and CSCA Director Marc Boucher. Part of the larger SpaceRef Interactive Group which includes SpaceRef USA and NASA Watch.
The Space Report – The “authoritative guide to international space activities” published by the Space Foundation, one of the world’s premier nonprofit organizations supporting space activities, space professionals and education. The Space Foundation Introduction to Space Activities is also worth taking a look at.
The State of the Canadian Space Sector – This annual Canadian Space Agency assessment provides updates on the role the Canadian space sector plays in strengthening the Canadian economy.