DEFSEC West Kicks Off in Calgary

0:00It's March 26th. Vancouver News Today starts now, AI powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. DevSec West just launched in Calgary, pulling in defense, aerospace and security firms from across the country. More than 1,700 people are there, with over half from Alberta, checking out over 90 exhibits featuring everything from drones. And rifles to communications gear and military outfits. This is the first time the event has hit the West Coast after 24 years in Halifax. It focuses on linking small and medium businesses with big players on major Canadian defense projects, helping them break into supply chains, amid huge government investments. Local companies are thrilled to have it close to home. Firms like Calgary-based Canadian UAVs, which builds aircraft, say it's a game changer instead of flying to Ottawa or farther. Alberta's Northern Towers Industries is hunting contracts for their communication towers. Defense spending is wrapping up with Canada aiming for 2% of GDP now and 5% by 2035 to meet

1:04NATO goals. Leaders highlight growth challenges like recruitment, plus rising threats in the Arctic and new tech, with Alberta stepping up through bases like CFB, Suffield. The buzz is strong enough that organizers locked in a return next March, boosting Western ties to the sector's future.