Great North Airlines was on the floor at CANSEC 2026 — Canada's largest defence and security event — held May 27–28 at the Cohere Centre in Ottawa.
Hosted by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), CANSEC brings together the people building Canada's defence and security capability: industry, the Canadian Armed Forces, and government. As a proud CADSI member, it is exactly where we want to be.
Building Canada's Defence Aviation Capability
Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy sends a clear signal — Build, Partner, Buy — and Great North is growing in step with it. We continue to expand approvals, commit additional aircraft, and grow our team in support of DND and broader federal government operations.
A Canadian airline based in southern Ontario, serving the High North and everywhere in between:
- DND & Canadian Armed Forces personnel transport
- Emergency response & evacuation
- Northern & Arctic operational support
- ACMI & turnkey aviation for government programs
We operate CRJ regional jets and DASH 8 turboprops — gravel-runway capable, all-weather, and built for the mission. From Canada's southernmost points through to the High North, our aircraft and crews are mission ready.
Growing the Team
Great North is expanding across defence, public safety, and emergency operations — and we are building the team to match. We are currently hiring a Government Program Commercial Director to lead federal and provincial contract development, with a primary focus on DND, PSPC, and other federal departments.
Our CEO, Eric Edmondson, was at CANSEC to connect with partners, candidates, and contacts with insight into the space. If we missed you on the floor, we would still welcome the conversation — reach out through greatnorthairlines.com/contact or view open roles at greatnorthairlines.com/careers.
Canada is investing in its sovereignty. So are we.
About Great North Airlines
Since 2020, Great North Airlines has proudly focused on providing essential missions for federal and provincial government agencies, NGOs, First Nations, and local community authorities, along with domestic and international ACMI operations, delivering Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance services for airline partnerships. We have built our reputation as Canada's trusted partner for critical aviation operations. Great North is a member of the Air Transport Association of Canada, the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, and the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.
This update was originally shared by Great North Airlines on LinkedIn. Connect with Eric Edmondson, CEO of Great North Airlines, on LinkedIn.