Canada’s federal government has opened the new Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) in southern Ontario.The RDII is a $357.7-million initiative, delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies, which aims to accelerate the integration of businesses and regional ecosystems into domestic and international defence supply chains while increasing their industrial and innovation capacity.This includes investment in businesses whose products and services are dual-use, or who seek to pivot their activities to supply the defence sector. The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) is allocating $94.7 million through this national initiative and an additional $106 million from existing resources to total nearly $200 million in defence support.“Southern Ontario is a powerhouse for defence-related manufacturing and innovation – with an ecosystem of innovative companies ready to deliver advanced technologies and regional expertise needed to strengthen Canada’s defence industrial base and enhance national security,” Evan Solomon, minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation and minister responsible for the FedDev Ontario, said in a media release. “Through the Regional Defence Investment Initiative, we are unlocking new opportunities for Canadian businesses to integrate into domestic and international defence supply chains, scale their technologies, and strengthen Canada’s national security.”Southern Ontario is home to more than 900 defence-capable organizations, anchored by major clusters in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and London, and is one of the country’s most dynamic centres for defence innovation. (ICE TORONTO)

Fonte notizia: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/