Today, it\u2019s a leading provider of life-saving technology used in extreme environments around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve grown from a research-driven organization into a global medical device company, and our focus is improving critical care in the world’s most challenging environments,\u201d Tessa Mintz, Thornhill\u2019s chief marketing officer, said during an Aug. 26 webinar about defence procurement opportunities.<\/p>\n
Hosted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce<\/a> in collaboration with Diversity Institute<\/a>, the event welcomed Mintz and Ted Kirkpatrick, vice-president of business development and government relations at Ontario Shipyards, to talk about how their companies successfully transitioned to become defence sector suppliers.<\/p>\n Among Thornhill Medical\u2019s key innovations is MOVES SLC, a portable, all-in-one, life-saving device that includes an oxygen concentrator, an oxygen-conserving ventilator, suction, and complete vital signs monitoring.<\/p>\n Often used alongside it is the company\u2019s other notable product, the Mobile Anesthesia Delivery Module (MADM), an inline gas anesthesia vaporizer that can be hand-carried to safely and accurately deliver gas anesthesia.<\/p>\n As the nature of war has changed, the ability to set up traditional field hospitals has been limited, Mintz said, and so solutions like Thornhill Medical\u2019s are in demand.<\/p>\n \u201cOur technology allows medical military units to be mobile, agile, self-sufficient, and have the resources they need when nobody is coming with an airplane to evacuate any patients,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Though the company\u2019s innovation was in direct response to a military need, Mintz said coming up with a viable idea was just the starting point.<\/p>\n Companies aren\u2019t buying tech, she said; they\u2019re buying capability. Manufacturers that want to compete in the defence sector have to prove they are capable of meeting their customers\u2019 needs on a consistent basis.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless we deeply understand that, we can have the best technology in the world, and we will not be adopted,\u201d Mintz said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to be able to solve this operational problem reliably, repeatedly, and demonstrate that it works in real-world conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Wendy Cukier, founder and academic director of the Diverse Institute, said companies like Thornhill Medical demonstrate that supplying the defence sector means more than just \u201cbullets and tanks.\u201d<\/p>\n As the military expands its capacity, it will need buildings where people can live, work and go to school; transportation to get them there; and health care to look after their medical needs. There are also opportunities to create advanced manufacturing textiles for use in bulletproof vests or uniforms, or greenhouses to help feed people, Cukier added.\u200b<\/p>\n \u200bWith the federal government pledging to spend more than $180 billion on procurement over the next decade, Cukier said there is a massive economic benefit coming down the line for dual-use providers in business opportunities, job creation, exports, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s really important to remind everybody at every opportunity that Canada is a country of entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises,\u201d Cukier said.<\/p>\n \u201cSmall and medium enterprises account for most of Canada’s economy and 92 per cent of Canada’s current defence industrial base, as well as 40 per cent of employment.\u201d<\/p>\n Dual-use refers to products or services that have both civilian purposes and military applications. But suppliers need to know they require different requirements and certifications.<\/p>\n \u201cThese markets are very, very, very different, and so you can’t just assume it’s like adding some more customers to your existing customer base,\u201d Cukier said. \u201cThere’s a lot of requirements that have to be addressed. But very often, a product or service with small adaptations can be used for military purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n Ontario Shipyards<\/a>, which has shipyards in Hamilton, St. Catharines and Thunder Bay, repairs and builds ships sailing the Great Lakes.<\/p>\n In operation for more than 35 years, the company has, over the last decade, taken on more work with the Canadian Coast Guard, noted Kirkpatrick. Currently, it\u2019s undertaking a $130-million retrofit of the CCGS Terry Fox, Canada\u2019s second largest icebreaker.<\/p>\n![\"2026-09-01-ontario-shipyards-ccgs-terry-fox-supplied\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/defence\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2026-09-01-ontario-shipyards-ccgs-terry-fox-supplied.jpg;w=960.jpeg\"\/)
\nOntario Shipyards is currently undertaking a $130-million retrofit of the CCGS Terry Fox. Ontario Shipyards\/Supplied
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