Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said astronaut Jeremy Hansen will advise on Canada’s space strategy at SpaceBound 2026 in Gatineau, Quebec, SpaceQ reported, as Ottawa backs domestic projects with funding and launch access.
Hansen later described the position in a video he posted on social media, The Canadian Press reported. “I’m just super excited to serve Canada in that role,” he said. The Canadian Press said the offices of Prime Minister Mark Carney and Joly did not answer its questions about Hansen’s compensation or length of service.
The role follows Hansen’s work on Artemis II. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) says he left active astronaut service in September 2026 and remains a reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Hansen flew with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch on the April 1 to 10, 2026 mission. CSA says the nearly 10-day flight circled the Moon and covered more than 1.1 million kilometers, surpassing Apollo 13’s previous human spaceflight distance record. Hansen was the first Canadian and first astronaut from outside the United States to take part in a lunar mission, the agency says.
Ottawa announced two separate measures this week. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Joly committed $15 million toward Xona Space Systems Canada’s $64.8 million project in Montréal. Government projections say it will generate about 126 highly skilled jobs.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Canada’s Department of National Defence announced a $20 million agreement with NordSpace, spread across 10 years. It gives the Canadian Armed Forces and partner organizations access to NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador for launches and research and development. National Defence cited security, economic competitiveness and dependable delivery of space-based services as reasons sovereign access to space matters. The department said the deal builds on a separate 10-year agreement with Maritime Launch Services announced in March.
The Canadian Press reported that Joly was gathering views from other Canadian astronauts and aerospace-sector participants as the strategy takes shape.
