The Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence Council (Image Credit: albertaaviationcouncil.com)

By Jett Schwaier

Community Futures Entre-Corp

Medicine Hat organization included as Alberta invests more than $1M in aerospace and defence growth

May 4, 2026 | 5:49 PM

Alberta’s government is investing more than $1 million to support growth in the province’s aerospace and defence sector, including funding for business training and certification to enter the defence market and a study tied to a southeastern Alberta drone testing facility.

The province announced that funding for the Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence Council will support the new Leading Industry Forward Together (LIFT) initiative.

The initiative aims to help companies develop the training, certification, and market visibility needed to compete for domestic and international defence contracts.

In a related announcement, $200,000 is being provided to Community Futures Entre-Corp, a Medicine Hat-based organization, to develop a sustainable long-term operating model for the Foremost Unmanned Aircraft Systems test range.

The range, located in Foremost, is one of two dedicated beyond visual line-of-sight flight-testing sites in Canada and has been out of operation since September 2025.

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The province said the funding will support a feasibility study examining opportunities to increase use of the site, improve revenue certainty and identify potential roles in Canada’s growing defence sector.

Sean Blewett, general manager of Community Futures Entre-Corp, said the Foremost UAS Test Range is a critical infrastructure asset that has helped drive growth in the drone industry in southeast Alberta and beyond.

“With the recently accelerated focus on Canada’s domestic drone capabilities, now is an opportune time to reimagine how the range can be used optimally,” Blewett said in a release.

Officials said the broader investment intends to position Alberta companies as competitive players in domestic and international defence markets while supporting job creation and economic growth in sectors including construction, manufacturing and technology.

The LIFT initiative is expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized businesses across the province.

Community Futures Entre-Corp provides business advisory services, training and financing to entrepreneurs across southeast Alberta.

by Jett Schwaier

Medicine Hat organization included as Alberta invests more than $1M in aerospace and defence growth

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