As Canada seeks to build more military equipment at home, local leaders see an opportunity for Brampton to become a key player in the country’s growing defence sector.
In February, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what his government termed as Canada’s first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy, which seeks to expand domestic military production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
The plan aims to create 125,000 high-paying jobs, increase defence exports by 50 per cent, award 70 per cent of defence contracts to Canadian firms, and grow defence industry revenue by 240 per cent, said the Department of National Defence.
Mayor Patrick Brown and Brampton Board of Trade president and CEO Jaipaul Massey-Singh believe Brampton’s automotive legacy, skilled workforce and infrastructure position it as a strong candidate to capture some of that investment when it comes to the production of defence equipment.
Idle auto plants could anchor defence production
“We’ve got a huge manufacturing base that was already here, primarily servicing the automotive industry, that is in a position to pivot without a lot of asking, to build a whole lot of new companies,” said Massey-Singh.
Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant has been idle since vehicle production was paused in 2023 amid significant industry changes — and local leaders see it as a potential site for defence investment.
CBC News reported on July 8 that Roshel, a Brampton-based armoured vehicle manufacturer, is one of the final contenders still competing for a federal contract to produce light utility vehicles (LUVs) for the Canadian Armed Forces. If selected, the company would need to expand its production capacity.
Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov, in an interview with CityNews, identified Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant as a potential site for that expansion.
The Brampton Guardian contacted Roshel for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
Massey-Singh sees a potential collaboration between Roshel and Stellantis as a model for how businesses across the region could repurpose underused automotive plants for military vehicle production in the future.
For his part, Brown pointed to companies such as MDA Space as evidence of Brampton’s existing advanced manufacturing and aerospace capabilities.
MDA Space, which has its global headquarters in Brampton, develops space technologies, including robotics and satellite systems. “Its Space Robotics Centre of Excellence is advancing cutting-edge robotics, automation, satellite systems and technologies with both commercial and defence applications,” said Brown.
“As Canada looks to strengthen domestic production and supply chain security, Brampton has the talent, infrastructure, innovation ecosystem and manufacturing expertise to help lead that effort,” he added.
Young, skilled workforce gives Brampton a competitive edge
Beyond existing manufacturing facilities, Brown and Massey-Singh see Brampton’s workforce as a key asset that could support defence sector investment.
“The expertise required to manufacture complex automotive … components is highly transferable to defence production,” said Brown.
“We have an incredibly young, incredibly diverse, highly educated workforce here,” added Massey-Singh, noting Brampton is home to many machinists, millwrights, CNC operators and welders, as well as engineers, designers, cybersecurity professionals and programmers — “those critical jobs that manufacturers require.”
Manufacturing, according to 2021 Census data, remains one of the city’s largest employment sectors, with 42,495 residents working in the industry. Trades, transport and equipment operators represent the largest occupational category in the local labour force, with 80,200 workers employed in these fields.
Census data also reveals more than 42,000 residents had a degree in architecture, engineering or related studies.
Brampton’s highly-educated population with deep manufacturing roots gives it a competitive advantage over other municipalities that may offer similar industrial infrastructure or even lower development costs.
With local and area academic institutions increasingly aligning their programming with the needs of the nation’s defence industry, Massey-Singh believes the existing talent pipeline could be leveraged to help build Brampton’s strong defence industry workforce.
Sheridan College in Brampton and Toronto Metropolitan University are developing skills relevant to the defence sector through programs in intelligent manufacturing, robotics, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing. Sheridan’s cybersecurity training includes protecting industrial systems used in manufacturing, government, military and other critical sectors.
Highway, rail and Pearson access a supply chain advantage
Brown contends Brampton’s location is one of its biggest selling points for companies looking to invest and expand.
“Brampton offers a strategic location with direct access to major highways, CN and CP rail networks, and Toronto Pearson International Airport — advantages that are critical for modern manufacturing, logistics and supply chain resilience,” said the mayor.
This existing transportation network allows manufacturers to efficiently move raw materials into their facilities and ship finished products to customers, helping reduce costs and improve supply chain reliability. These advantages are also seen as assets in attracting defence production to the city.
“As part of the larger network of being able to move stuff, Brampton is second to none,” said Massey-Singh.
Immigration cuts threaten the talent pipeline
Despite the purported advantages Brampton has in attracting defence investment, Massey-Singh said challenges remain, including the federal government’s immigration policy in a city where more than half of residents were born outside Canada.
In recent years, the federal government introduced a series of changes to Canada’s immigration policy with the intent of easing pressure on the housing market and public services.
Ottawa reduced permanent resident targets, enacted caps on international student study permits, and tightened eligibility rules around certain work permits. This has led to fears that Brampton will struggle to retain the workforce that business leaders believe makes it an attractive place to invest in.
“There’s challenges broadly with bringing talented newcomers into the country because of reductions in immigration. There’s been challenges in retaining people because of the difficulty in securing permanent resident status for some when they come here on a work visa. We’ve seen reductions in international students. All of those will have a long-term impact on our capacity to meet our workforce needs, and that’s not unique to Brampton,” said Massey-Singh.
Still, Brown believes that even with challenges, collaboration between government, industry and educational institutions will allow the city to successfully transition from an auto manufacturing hub into a military one.
“Continued collaboration between municipalities, industry, educational institutions and senior levels of government will be essential,” said Brown.
“Investments in advanced manufacturing, research and development, workforce training, commercialization and supply chain development will help Canadian companies remain globally competitive.”
By Bridget Potasky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Aug 11, 2026 at 08:51
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