News & Events

Updates from Ontario Tech's defence and security research community.

Drone testing in Ontario Tech University's ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel.
8 October 2026

Ontario Tech opens new pathway to strengthen Canada’s defence capabilities

Ontario Tech University has reached a significant milestone in its contribution to Canada’s defence priorities by qualifying as a supplier in the federal government’s Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace (DDIM). Prominently, Ontario Tech is the only university in Ontario among the qualified suppliers, positioning the university to compete for future Department of National Defence contracts supporting the development and testing of Canadian drone and autonomous technologies.

Ontario Tech University and Centre for Designing Change sign an agreement launching PACE Ontario.
20 August 2026

Centre for Designing Change and Ontario Tech launch Physical AI Centre of Excellence (PACE) Ontario to strengthen Canada's leadership in Physical AI

The Centre for Designing Change and Ontario Tech University have launched PACE Ontario, the first provincial hub in Canada's national Physical AI Centre of Excellence network. The partnership will help Canadian organizations develop, test, and adopt physical AI technologies, including robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing, while building future-ready talent and industrial capacity across the country.

From left: Ontario Tech University's Krista Hester, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, and Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, with the Honourable Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, acting Minister of Infrastructure, and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Durham, and Lorne Coe, MPP Whitby, Parliamentary Assistant (PA) to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, and PA to the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security.
11 June 2026

Ontario Tech students to benefit from $91.9-million provincial investment

A $91.9-million investment from the Ontario government will help Ontario Tech University expand capacity in programs aligned with regional and provincial labour-market needs, creating more opportunities for students to pursue career-connected learning in high-demand fields.

From left: Krista Hester, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, Ontario Tech University; Jennifer McKelvie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajax and Parliamentary Secretary (PS) to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure; Ryan Turnbull, MP for Whitby and PS to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions); Dr. Les Jacobs, Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI), Ontario Tech; and Jennifer Freeman, Executive Director, Office of the VPRI, Ontario Tech.
19 May 2026

Government of Canada investment helps strengthen Canada’s defence capabilities

The Government of Canada announced an investment of $5 million to expand the capabilities of Ontario Tech University's ACE facility into a leading Canadian defence technology hub aligned with Canadian and allied military standards.

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