MAY 27, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
Stratford Intellectual Property Releases Defence Innovation and Intellectual Property Policy Paper Following Ottawa Industry Roundtable
Stratford Intellectual Property today released a comprehensive policy paper examining the intellectual property (IP), commercialization, cybersecurity, and procurement challenges facing Canada’s defence small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, informed in part by discussions held during an Ottawa defence industry roundtable hosted at Invest Ottawa.
Titled “Strengthening Ottawa’s Defence Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Ecosystem: Policy-Aligned Recommendations to Modernize Canada’s Defence Intellectual Property Frameworks,” the report was developed following a defence industry roundtable held in Ottawa that brought together defence SMEs, larger OEMs, innovators, and sector stakeholders to discuss the realities confronting Canadian defence companies operating in increasingly complex global markets.
The paper outlines a series of recommendations intended to support and strengthen Canada’s sovereign defence innovation ecosystem, modernize defence procurement practices, improve protection of SME-owned IP, accelerate commercialization pathways, and reduce barriers caused by export control regimes such as the United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Recommendations highlighted in the paper include the creation of SME-conscious defence contracting frameworks, a Canadian defence patent box regime, improved cybersecurity and trade-secret protections, enhanced procurement transition mechanisms to support commercialization, and the establishment of a Defence IP & Commercialization Hub in Ottawa.
“This paper reflects many of the conversations currently taking place across Canada’s innovation ecosystem around intellectual property protection, commercialization, cybersecurity, and procurement. Stratford Intellectual Property is proud to collaborate with industry peers and organizations like Invest Ottawa on this important study examining what keeps Ottawa’s defence companies up at night when it comes to protecting their intellectual property and scaling innovation,” said Jordan Pynn, President of Stratford Intellectual Property. “Canada’s defence SMEs are developing world-class sovereign technologies critical to our national security and NATO obligations. However, many continue to face significant concerns around IP leakage, procurement barriers, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and commercialization dead-ends. This report provides practical policy recommendations that the federal government should seriously consider to help Canada’s defence sector thrive.”
The report further emphasizes Ottawa’s role as Canada’s defence innovation capital, noting the city’s concentration of defence companies, NATO and allied missions, federal departments, and dual-use technology firms developing advanced capabilities in cybersecurity, AI, C4ISR, autonomy, and digital infrastructure.
The paper was prepared by Paul Fortin, Natalie Giroux, and Myriam Davidson of Stratford Intellectual Property and reflects themes currently being discussed across Canada’s defence modernization, NATO interoperability objectives, and broader sovereign capability initiatives, including Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy released February 2026.
A copy can be downloaded here.
About Stratford Intellectual Property
Stratford Intellectual Property is a Canadian intellectual property firm specializing in patents, trademarks, strategic IP advisory services, and commercialization support for innovative companies operating across defence, aerospace, security, advanced manufacturing, software, and emerging technology sectors. Powered by experienced patent and trademark professionals operating through a modern virtual platform, Stratford Intellectual Property provides sophisticated, cost-effective IP services to clients across Canada and internationally.
Media Contact
Paul Fortin
Vice President
Stratford Intellectual Property
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Email: paul.fortin@stratford.group