Fri, Mar 25, 2011
CSCA Believes Proposed Canadian Government Plans Are Not
Optimal For The Requirements Of The Canadian Space Systems
Sector
After reviewing the federal budget released Wednesday, the
Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA) said it believes that
proposed government plans are not optimal for the requirements of
the Canadian space systems sector. The CSCA's primary concern is
with the proposed 12 - 18 month "strategic review" of the
"aerospace" industry. The smaller, but growing and primarily
Canadian owned space systems sector has a different set of planning
and policy requirements than those appropriate for the much larger
aviation industry.
The organization says putting the two categories of businesses
together for a combined policy review does neither industry any
service. They point out that the Canadian aviation sector, as
reported by the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC)
and summarized in the Deloitte report titled "The Strategic and
Economic Impact of the Canadian Aerospace Industry", registered
industry revenue of C$23.6 billion in 2008 and C$22.2 billion in
2009.
But the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) 2009 State of the Canadian
Space Sector Report, which tracks Canadian private sector space
activities over the same period, presents a far different picture.
Comparatively Canadian space industry revenues were $3.025 billion
over the same period of time, though with 8% annual overall growth
over the previous year, and with workforce growth continuing
strong. There is also little industry overlap between the top eight
mostly Canadian companies being tracked in the CSA report and the
top eight companies being tracked in the Deloitte report. These are
clearly two different industries being tracked by two different
reports. The CSCA recommends these two industries be treated
appropriately and differently to allow each to grow and generate
high quality Canadian jobs.
The CSCA is also concerned that any combined "aerospace"
discussion could end up being dominated by the F-35 procurement
issue, which represents the largest government aviation undertaking
ever but is not the primary business concern of companies focused
on satellite services, Earth imaging, novel robotics development,
and commercializing new applications.
The Canadian Space Agency has already completed a review that
consulted stakeholders including other government agencies,
academia and industry which resulted in the creation of a Long Term
Space Plan which has been sitting in Ottawa patiently waiting for
approval since 2009.
The revised Department of Defence space policy which was
completed last fall is similarly waiting for approval by Ottawa.
The CSCA recommends these existing policy plans be utilized
immediately as the basis for a space policy review, and such a
review should not be tied to, or delayed by, any new government
review of the aviation industry.
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