CANSEC 2026 Dates — May 27-28 Ottawa | Canada Defence Exhibition Stand Builder

CANSEC 2026 takes place 27-28 May 2026 at the EY Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Organised by CADSI (Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries), CANSEC is Canada's largest defence and security trade show — the 2024 edition registered 350+ exhibitors and 12,500+ trade visitors across two intensive days.

## Why Exhibit at CANSEC 2026?

Canada's National Defence budget for FY 2024-25 was approximately CAD 30 billion, with the federal government's "Our North, Strong and Free" defence policy committing to lift defence spending toward NATO's 2% of GDP target — adding approximately CAD 8 billion in incremental procurement over the next decade. The Canadian Armed Forces are mid-recapitalisation across surface combatants (Canadian Surface Combatant program), fighters (F-35A acquisition), and ground forces (LAV 6 fleet renewal).

CANSEC provides direct access to:

• •Canadian Department of National Defence procurement leadership
• •Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army senior officers
• •Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) — federal procurement authority
• •Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) — Industrial and Technological Benefits policy authority
• •US DoD visiting delegations (CANSEC is a Five Eyes regular)
• •Canadian primes: GD Land Systems Canada, GD-OTS Canada, CAE, IMP Aerospace, Bombardier Defence
• •Tier-1 and Tier-2 Canadian supply base
• •Allied nation defence attachés (UK, Australia, NZ, France, Germany routinely present)

The Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) policy requires foreign primes winning Canadian contracts to make corresponding investments in Canadian industry — making CANSEC the venue where Tier-2 international suppliers introduce themselves as potential ITB partners.

## Exhibition Stand Solutions for CANSEC 2026

Evreka Stand provides turnkey exhibition stand solutions for CANSEC exhibitors. Three typical engagement formats:

• •Prime / Tier-1 OEM custom stand — 100-300 m², integrated product mock-ups, meeting cabin cluster, ITB partner-showcase zone. Typical budget €60,000-€160,000.
• •SME / Tier-2 supplier modular stand — 18-50 m², Maxima modular system + meeting cabin + product showcase. Typical budget €15,000-€38,000.
• •Country pavilion / trade-promotion organisation — 100-400 m² coordinated multi-company pavilion. Useful for Turkish, European, and Indo-Pacific export agencies targeting the Canadian market.

## International Exhibitor Logistics — Istanbul to Ottawa

Sealed-container sea freight Istanbul → Montreal (10-14 days) → truck to Ottawa (4-hour drive) is the standard path; air freight via Istanbul → Toronto (8-12 days) is the fallback for tight timelines. ATA Carnet is accepted by Canada Border Services Agency for temporary import. Visa: Turkish business travellers require an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization, approved typically within hours).

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) is 6 km from the EY Centre — typical transit 10-15 minutes. The EY Centre offers 175,000 sq ft (16,250 m²) of column-free exhibition space.

## EY Centre Floor Plan

CANSEC uses the full EY Centre footprint plus the outdoor static-display area for vehicles and large platforms. Floor allocation by category:

• •Halls A-B — Land systems, vehicles, weapons, ground-based C4ISR
• •Halls C-D — Naval, air, joint-domain systems
• •Hall E — Cyber, communications, simulation, training
• •Outdoor display — Armoured vehicles, naval models, demonstrators

Booth allocation typically closes 3-4 months before the show — by January-February 2026 for the May 2026 edition.

## Past Editions — Reference Data

• •CANSEC 2024 (29-30 May 2024) — 350+ exhibitors, 12,500+ trade visitors, presence of US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
• •CANSEC 2023 (31 May-1 June 2023) — 320+ exhibitors, 12,000+ visitors
• •CANSEC 2022 (1-2 June 2022) — 285 exhibitors (post-COVID recovery edition)

## Booking Timeline

For a turnkey custom stand to open on Day 1 of CANSEC 2026 (27 May 2026):

• •January-February 2026 — Booth allocation confirmed with CADSI
• •February-March 2026 — Design brief + 3D concept + revisions (4-5 weeks)
• •March-April 2026 — Production at Istanbul facility (4-6 weeks)
• •Late April 2026 — Sea freight to Montreal + truck to Ottawa (12-16 days total)
• •Mid-May 2026 — On-site assembly + ITB partner coordination
• •27 May 2026 — Show opens

## Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is CANSEC 2026? 27-28 May 2026 at EY Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Two-day format — intensive scheduling required.

How large is CANSEC? 2024 edition: 350+ exhibitors and 12,500+ trade visitors. Tight, high-quality audience focused on Canadian defence procurement.

What is the ITB policy and why does it matter at CANSEC? Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) policy requires foreign primes winning Canadian defence contracts to make corresponding Canadian-industry investments. CANSEC is the canonical venue for Tier-2 international suppliers to introduce themselves to Canadian primes as potential ITB partners.

What is the typical CANSEC booth size and cost? SME / Tier-2: 18-50 m² modular (€15-38K). Tier-1 OEM: 50-150 m² (€38-80K). Prime / National Champion: 100-300 m² custom (€60-160K). Country pavilion: 100-400 m².

Can Evreka Stand build a stand for CANSEC 2026? Yes — turnkey design, build and on-site Ottawa installation. Contact Evreka Stand for a written budget within 24 hours.