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Unlocking Domestic & Defence Market Opportunities
Manufacturing Excellence Forum - Vancouver
EMC’s special half-day forum will bring Canadian manufacturers together with industry leaders, stakeholders, government, and solution providers to explore new domestic growth opportunities emerging from Canada’s increased investment in defence, infrastructure, housing, and mining, alongside trade, tariff, and supply chain shifts.
The focus is practical, actionable insights – helping manufacturers replace imports with domestic production, access new B2B markets, strengthen supply chains, and build the capabilities required to scale.
Agenda
7:30 AM – Registration & Networking Breakfast
Connect with fellow manufacturers, supply chain partners, speakers, and sponsors – full breakfast included.
8:15 AM – Opening Remarks: Manufacturing Resilience & Growth in a Changing Economy
Welcome and context-setting from EMC leadership, framing the day around domestic opportunity creation, supply chain resilience, and the critical role manufacturers play in Canada’s economic future.
8:35 AM – Opening Remarks: Jake Sawatzky, Member of Parliament (MP) – New Westminster – Burnaby – Maillardville
8:45 AM – Workshop: Defence Sector / Domestic Supply Opportunities for Canadian Manufacturers
An expert-led session outlining where manufacturers fit within Canada’s growing defence, infrastructure, construction, and resource-related supply chains.
Featuring:
- Deirdre Liebrandt-Johnson – Senior Advisor, PacifiCan
- Kelly McGilvery, Section Head – Socioeconomic Policy Team – DND – ADM(Materiel)
9:45 – 10:15 AM – Networking Break
10:15 AM – Panel Discussion: How Manufacturers Are Successfully Entering Defence & Domestic Supply Chains
Manufacturers share real-world experiences entering or expanding within domestic (West-East), defence, infrastructure, and industrial supply chains.
Panelist:
- Mark Myers, Vice President, Operations – Cascade Aerospace
- David Katona, CEO, IBI Precision Systems (formerly International Barrels)
- Sadiq Panjwani, COO and Senior Executive Vice President – Teledyne Technologies
- Joanna Davies, Managing Director – Polaris Advantage
11:15 AM – Concurrent Breakout Sessions (Participants Select One)
A) Entering Canada’s Defence Market – From Interest to Action, presented by Joanna Davies, Polaris Advantage
A practical, experience-driven session for manufacturers and companies considering opportunities in Canada’s defence sector. This breakout will help participants understand how to assess whether the defence market is right for them, where to focus, who the key stakeholders are, and how to prepare for meaningful engagement. The session will cover market entry pathways, positioning, compliance considerations, supply chain opportunities, and the importance of relationships, trust, and understanding the customer’s needs.
B) Supply Flow, Trade, Tariffs & Supply Chain Access, presented by Matt Weller, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium
Practical insights on navigating trade pressures, replacing imports, export growth and strengthening domestic supply chains.
C) Market Diversification, presented by NAIDA Communications
In this high-impact, practical sales growth session, NAIDA will walk you through the core drivers that will move the sales needle to scalability. The economic uncertainty has forced many manufacturers to think differently and break into new markets with different distribution channels.
12:15 PM – Networking Lunch – featuring a presentation by Peter Dawe, Vice President, Defence Strategy – Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
1:00 PM – Applied Learning: Facilitated Manufacturer Roundtable
Participants will take part in a facilitated roundtable discussion on trade, tariffs, and domestic growth strategies and opportunities to connect through EMC’s new Supplyflow initiative.
2:00 PM – Adjourn
Why Attend:
Canadian manufacturers are navigating heightened trade uncertainty – but also unprecedented domestic investment opportunities tied to defence, infrastructure, housing, and resource development. This forum brings together manufacturers, government, and industry experts to explore how manufacturers can access, compete, and grow within these markets – as suppliers, partners, and solution providers.
This is not about becoming defence primes or builders – it’s about manufacturers strengthening supply chain access, replacing imports, and scaling capabilities to meet new domestic demand.
Event Partners:
