Waterloo: Where the Future of Aerospace Takes Flight

Our community is home to a full-service airport and is strategically located next to one of Canada’s largest aerospace clusters. With 85+ companies working in materials testing and development, component and aircraft manufacturing and software and sensor technology, Waterloo is a leader in aerospace and defense.

Here is Waterloo’s aerospace and defense ecosystem in a nutshell:

What are our aerospace and defense ecosystem advantages?

Canada is one of the largest aerospace markets in the world, so let’s see how Waterloo contributes to it. Here are the things that sets our aerospace and defense ecosystem apart from others:

1. Fuel your company’s talent pipeline, with the University of Waterloo, which is the #1 engineering school in Canada and home to the largest university-led aviation program in Canada.
2. Tap into the future of aerospace in Waterloo’s aerospace ecosystem. Waterloo continues to develop next-generation aerospace products using advanced polymers, bio-composites and more.
3. Secure access to markets with Waterloo’s vast transportation infrastructure network, low business risk profile and proximity to Toronto Pearson International Airport.

What major aerospace and defense players are located here?

Waterloo houses numerous companies working in the Aerospace and Defense ecosystem, including:

• Teledyne Flir
• SkyWatch
• Magellan Aerospace
• AviDrone Aerospace
• Heroux Devtek
• Shimco

What organizations support the aerospace industry?

Waterloo’s aerospace ecosystem is supported by a variety of different organizations such as:

1. Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics – WISA is the world’s leading hub for sustainable aeronautical research, technology and education. With a goal of driving meaningful change within the aviation, aerospace and space industries, WISA is a hub for developing aeronautics talent, advancing aeronautic research and innovating sustainable global aeronautics solutions.
2. Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems – Located at the University of Waterloo, CIARS is a communication and sensing system development facility. CIARS regularly collaborates with aerospace multinationals and industry leaders.

Lastly, North America’s #2 tech cluster – the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor – is home to Canada’s busiest airport and 300+ aerospace companies.