A Hub for Defence Activity: Expand Your Business in Nova Scotia, Canada

They say the best defence is a good offence. That’s certainly the case in Nova Scotia, where countless institutions work together to aggressively and proactively build, advance, and grow a successful ecosystem of defence companies.

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Interested in learning more?

Ready to see what the Invest Nova Scotia team can do to support your business expansion in Nova Scotia? Connect with Jonathan Coles at CANSEC in Ottawa, Canada.

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Why Nova Scotia? The province is home to globally recognized companies working in naval defence, shipbuilding, sonar and sensing, in-service support, cyber security and training and simulation.

Why Nova Scotia?

A natural home for servicing our future submarines

Home to Canada’s East Coast navy, we have a rich history in naval operations and defence innovation. Our capital city, Halifax, is the base for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Atlantic fleet and home to CFB Halifax, the largest Canadian Forces Base in terms of posted personnel.

This proximity to operational command offers efficiency and continuity in submarine maintenance and logistics. But more than just our history and current strength in defence operations, it’s our forward-looking capabilities that truly make Nova Scotia a natural choice for submarine sustainment.

Logistics, Workforce, Research and Incentives

What gives Nova Scotia the edge?

It's not just our leading capabilities — it's infrastructure, innovation, and collaboration. The province offers:

Nova Scotia is home to a Department of National Defence workforce of over 13,000
Strong research and development capacity, including internationally recognized institutions
Supportive government policies and incentives
Direct access to the North Atlantic and Arctic

SECTOR SNAPSHOT

Incentives, Programs and Services

Payroll Rebate

Invest Nova Scotia

A payroll rebate is a return on a company’s eligible gross payroll, paid out yearly after a company achieves predetermined targets. It’s issued over a set number of years—generally five—and...

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Answer a few quick questions about your business and we’ll direct you to contacts at Invest Nova Scotia, incentives, programs, and services you may be eligible for.

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Innovative Ecosystem

Leading companies continually choose Nova Scotia for their global operations.

NATO chose us for DIANA’s regional office and accelerator because of our unmatched strategic and innovation assets. With direct access to the North Atlantic and Arctic—key regions for Canada’s future submarine operations—plus ice-free deepwater ports, secure defence infrastructure, and established shipyards like Halifax Shipyard, Nova Scotia is built for both operational readiness and long-term sustainment. Add to that a thriving ocean tech and research ecosystem, and it's clear why we’re helping lead this global initiative to accelerate dual-use technologies and industry growth.

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Questions? Looking for more information? Get in touch today—we’d love to talk more about the many reasons you have to choose to do business in Nova Scotia, Canada.