Unlocking Canada’s Dual-Use Advantage: Bioeconomy Innovation for Defence and Resilience
April 15, 2026
by Meaghan Seagrave, Executive Director, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada
This article was written jointly with the members of the BioCAN initiative.
Canada is entering a period where defence capability, economic resilience, and technological innovation are becoming increasingly interconnected. As global security dynamics shift and countries work to strengthen domestic supply chains, Canada has an opportunity to leverage technologies emerging from and leveraging its resource-based sectors. Across the country, companies working in our forests, farms, and factories are developing low-carbon solutions designed for civilian markets that also have clear applications in defence, security, and disaster response.
Many of these innovations are inherently dual-use and could support Canada’s growing need for defence technologies however, because they sit at the intersection of sectors such as natural resources, energy, and advanced manufacturing, they often fall between federal mandates and funding programs, and get overlooked as viable candidates for novel sector adoption. Companies developing promising technologies also find themselves navigating multiple departments and programs that are rarely knowledgeable or aligned with the needs of other departments resulting in an inability to think outside the box and reposition existing commercial opportunities into a new sectors or markets.
While Canada’s innovation ecosystem is strong, federal programs and procurement systems still operate in silos, making it difficult for emerging or even established technologies to scale for or connect with Canada’s complex, multi-departmental defence procurement processes that often involves numerous key federal entities.
At the same time, there are clear areas where Canada’s existing strengths align closely with defence priorities - construction and infrastructure are one example. Canada’s forestry and biobased materials sectors are currently advancing lightweight, modular building systems that already support infrastructure for remote and Arctic environments. These technologies enable rapid and sustainable construction in locations where traditional infrastructure is difficult to build or not suitable for harsh environments or regions with extreme conditions, resulting in resilience for both forestry and defence sectors.
Energy security is another area of overlap. Remote installations, whether military bases, northern communities, or disaster response operations, require reliable off-grid energy systems. Canadian innovators are developing solutions in bioenergy, biofuels, and sustainable aviation fuel that could contribute to resilient and secure energy supply chains. Advances in energy storage and mobile energy systems also support operations in remote environments where traditional energy infrastructure is limited or difficult to deploy.
Transportation and logistics technologies are evolving as well. Autonomous systems, remote sensing tools, and resilient supply chain platforms are becoming increasingly important across both civilian and defence contexts. These technologies can support persistent monitoring, border surveillance, and logistics operations in difficult terrain or isolated regions in support of Canadian sovereignty.
This conversation is particularly relevant as Canada works toward meeting its commitment to spend two percent of GDP on defence under NATO obligations. This represents a significant increase in procurement and investment that could benefit Canada’s economy in a variety of ways. The opportunity for Canada is not only to strengthen defence capability, but also to ensure that Canadian innovators and industries are positioned to contribute to that investment. Many small and medium-sized companies are developing or have already developed technologies that could support defence applications, yet lack clear pathways into procurement systems or visibility among Prime defence buyers, who are simply unaware of the depth of innovation that currently exists in Canada.
Across Canada’s larger bioeconomy ecosystems, examples of dual use innovation are already emerging. Controlled environment agriculture systems are improving food system resilience in remote and northern communities and could support food production at remote bases or during disaster response operations. Precision agriculture technologies, including drones, sensing platforms, and remote monitoring systems, have applications that extend to environmental intelligence and land surveillance. These technologies are well established in Canada’s agriculture sector but need support to be positioned in front of procurement champions for other sectors.
Canadian innovators are also advancing biobased materials, coatings, and polymers that currently support lightweight manufacturing across sectors including automotive and aerospace but are well suited and already de-risked for defence procurement and adoption as they offer properties like low radar reflectivity, biodegradability, and reduced thermal/acoustic signatures while also making suitable materials for 3D printing. Meanwhile, companies working on bioenergy, waste-to-energy systems, and off-grid power solutions are exploring technologies that could strengthen energy security in remote environments. Advances in pathogen detection and food safety monitoring are also contributing to broader biosecurity capabilities, while digital platforms for supply chain traceability are helping strengthen transparency and resilience across resource supply chains. Although most of these technologies were never intended for defence as a first market, their applications are well understood and already validated, making them low risk for defence procurement and adoption.
Solutions for Canada’s defence sector will not emerge in isolation. Progress will require coordination across government departments, industry, researchers, and investors. Canada already has strong momentum in its bioeconomy, ag-tech, and clean technology sectors, but it needs support to increase the visibility and to connect these innovations with national priorities. This can be achieved by:
· Identifying and mapping dual-use technologies across Canadian sectors to help highlight emerging and existing capabilities.
· Improving procurement pathways and Prime engagement with small and medium-sized companies to help bridge the gap between innovation and deployment.
· Strengthening collaboration across federal departments to further support technologies that cross traditional sector boundaries.
Canada has an opportunity to position its resource-based innovation sectors as important contributors to future defence capability. Realizing this potential will require collaboration and a broader view of how civilian innovation can support national resilience. As this conversation continues, stakeholders across the ecosystem will have an important role to play in identifying opportunities and building momentum for a stronger, more connected innovation landscape. Stakeholders across the ecosystem are encouraged to share examples of dual-use technologies and companies in an effort to make connections across existing silos.
Building a strong national ecosystem will require collaboration and shared momentum from everyone.
About BioCAN
The Bioeconomy Communications Awareness Network (BioCAN) is a collaborative effort led by Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) and key industry partners to advance the Canadian bioeconomy. Through strategic messaging, coordinated outreach, and targeted engagement, BioCAN aims to enhance Canada’s global competitiveness, drive investment in sustainable technologies, and position Canada as a leader in bio-based innovation – all while simultaneously supporting broader societal objectives. This initiative is supported by multiple organizations working collectively to promote the bioeconomy’s role in fostering economic resilience, energy security, and job creation.
About Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC)
BIC is a non-profit business accelerator based in Ontario, Canada, focused on promoting sustainable chemistry and the circular bioeconomy. Founded in 2008, BIC supports the development and commercialization of green technologies through strategic investments, technical support, and the creation of innovative industrial clusters across Canada. Since 2008, BIC has made over 30 strategic investments in early-stage green technology companies that have contributed to the reduction of over 1 million tons of CO₂, while also creating over 66,600 jobs. With BIC support, these companies have attracted over CAD 500 million in external investments, allowing them to grow and scale in Canada.