The military is running more quick-turnaround procurements that small firms can participate in, but may not suit the timelines of major contractors, Lt-Gen. Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command, said at a Canadian Robotics Council event in Toronto on Monday. The Defence Department must also start testing and integrating fast-advancing technologies at earlier phases of development, rather than waiting for them to be perfected, said Kate Kaminska, director general of the new Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Innovation and Science (BOREALIS). (The Logic)
Prime Minister Mark Carney joined leaders from the European Union, India, Australia, Brazil, Kenya and Barbados in launching a diplomatic effort by middle powers and developing countries to support the work of the United Nations and protect international co-operation. (Financial Times, The Logic)
The Canadian and French space agencies will work together on launch, control and reception capabilities, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced after meeting France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday. The key launch site for European Space Agency rockets is in French Guiana, which is French territory in South America; the agreement raises the possibility of supplementing that site with one in Atlantic Canada. (The Logic)
Investors in Toronto-based Thri5 include Whitecap Venture Partners and Mistral Venture Partners, which co-led the seed round. MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund and N49P also invested in the round, which closed in July. Thri5 will use the new capital to grow its 10-person team and market itself to more potential clients. (The Logic)
The Business Development Bank of Canada is the first Canadian member of the NATO DIANA Capital Network, a community of investors across the alliance’s 32 countries focused on deep-tech and dual-use technologies. (The Logic)
Brookfield Asset Management will be “really, really choosy” about data centre investments, company chair Bruce Flatt said at the asset manager’s investor day Thursday, saying the company won’t compromise its tech infrastructure deals like the office-space leasing office startup that sought bankruptcy protection in 2023. (The Logic)
The government will fund up to four months of entry-level work placements for young people entering the trades, to help build their skills before they start their apprenticeships. The money is part of the $8 billion Ottawa previously committed to support skilled workers. (The Logic)
International Air Transport Association executive Nick Careen said the government’s plan to lease Canada’s four largest airports to private investors will lead to higher fees for airlines, making travel more expensive for customers. (The Globe and Mail)
Canada sold $3 billion of 30-year government bonds Thursday at an average yield of 4.201 per cent, the highest yield at a federal long-term bond auction since July 2007, according to Bank of Canada and federal government data. The bonds mature June 1, 2059. (The Logic)
The foundation behind the Firefox browser will contribute $5 million to the project, while Hypertec will provide $1 million in funding. Mila and Mozilla will jointly develop “a ready-to-use AI package that they can run privately and keep under their own control.” (The Logic)