News Releases
Butterfield selects Moncton for Canadian expansion
August 31, 2026
Scale Your Defence Operations on Canada’s Atlantic Coast
New Brunswick offers a cost-competitive environment for defence operations, manufacturing, in-service support (ISS), cybersecurity, digital systems, and innovation, with strategic access to Atlantic and Arctic theatres and efficient reach into both European and North American markets.
Supported by highly skilled talent, world-class infrastructure, available industrial capacity, and room for expansion, New Brunswick is one of Canada’s most scalable jurisdictions for industrial defence growth.
Why Defence Companies Choose New Brunswick
National Defence Hub
Home to Eastern Canada’s largest military base, CFB Gagetown, supporting complex training, simulation, land-systems integration, mission preparation, and deployment.
- Over 6,500 military and civilian personnel are stationed at the base
- Supports training for more than 10,000 personnel annually
- More than $1 billion in recent investments enhancing the Canadian Armed Forces training capabilities and infrastructure
Industrial Marine Infrastructure
Access to two deep-water, ice-free industrial ports with significant room for expansion:
- The Port of Saint John is one of the fastest-growing ports on the East Coast of North America
- The Port of Belledune provides specialized handling and rapid access to European markets
Both ports provide access to critical logistics infrastructure including road, rail, air, and Atlantic Canada’s only state-of- the-art barge facility, providing significant growth opportunities in manufacturing exports, defence logistics, and In-Service Support (ISS).
Digital Systems & Cyber Leader
A national leader in cybersecurity, anchored by a strategic tech cluster in Fredericton’s Knowledge Park.
- Tier 1 Cyber R&D and home to the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC)
- Focused on C4ISR, AI, simulation, analytics, spatial computing, data science, autonomous systems, and emerging defence technologies
- 17.8% of New Brunswick’s total workforce is concentrated in cybersecurity and defence occupations
Home to the Cyber Centre, Canada’s most advanced networking and data fibre facility, a Level II security-enabled hub critical for DND contract bids and a base for some of the nation’s top cybersecurity firms.
Land Systems
- Extensive expertise in land systems fabrication
- Integrated network of industrial suppliers
- Proven industrial capabilities
- Experience in supporting prime defence contracts
- Ideal location for manufacturing, testing, and exporting products
A Complete, Investment-Ready Defence Ecosystem
New Brunswick offers an expansive workforce and job-ready talent pool to meet the growing demands of the defence industry.
- A highly trained talent pipeline aligned with defence sector needs supported by 16 universities and 48 colleges
- Second highest per capita military employment in Canada, with approximately 8 per 1,000 employed
- Highest manufacturing worker tenure in Canada, at 10.7 years
- Over 2,700 graduates annually in engineering, computer science, energy, and skilled trades, supporting a steady defence talent pipeline
New Brunswick’s research institutions are engaged in advanced research, strengthening Canada’s capabilities in maritime, Arctic, cybersecurity, AI, data science, marine technologies, advanced manufacturing, modelling and simulation, and ocean mapping.
Home to 29 research centres and research chairs across the province, including:
- The Marine Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (MAMCE) (Industry funding partners: Lockheed Martin and Irving Shipbuilding)
- Ballistics & Mechanical Test Lab
- University of New Brunswick’s Ocean Mapping Group
- Research Institute in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)
- Spatial Computing Training and Research Centre (SPECTRAL)
- The Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC)
- Lower land, labour, and operating costs, enabling faster and larger-scale expansion
- Average labour cost savings of 3% compared to Quebec, 8% compared to Ontario, British Columbia, and the Canadian average, and 12% compared to Alberta
- Seamless connectivity via ports, rail, air, and road across North America with efficient access to European markets
- Large parcels of industrial land with direct access to critical logistics infrastructure
- Direct access to tidewater export networks, including Atlantic Canada’s only state-of-the-art barge terminal
- Secure, compliant environment for controlled goods and sensitive defence technologies
- Favourably positioned as a dual-market access point supporting NATO partners across Europe and North America
- Ideally situated in the Atlantic Time Zone—four hours ahead of San Diego and four hours behind The Hague, enabling real-time collaboration across key defence markets
- Some of the most efficient transatlantic crossings between North America and Europe
- Strategic access to the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic through sovereign and allied maritime routes
Reach Out Today!
Defence investment in New Brunswick is already accelerating, with active engagement underway across the sector.
Connect with our investment attraction team to explore current expansion opportunities.
