Image: Copilot AI
What’s new: An opinion piece about Canada not depending upon the US for PNT.
Why it’s important:
- PNT is essential for virtually all technology that supports daily life.
- If a country does not have one or more sovereign sources of PNT, it isn’t really a sovereign nation.
- Space is expensive and there is already a lot of PNT from that is free to use.
- If they want to own a system, most nations are better off establishing sovereign terrestrial sources of PNT. This is less expensive and makes them more resilient.
What else to know: Canada creating it’s own “GPS” would be following the United States. Canada’s prime minister said he won’t be doing that so much any more. Perhaps they should follow the United Kingdom model and combine existing space-based sources with a terrestrial broadcast systems and fiber timing networks. And/or they could contract for an enterprise license with a LEP PNT company.
The Big Read
The push to create a Canadian rival to GPS
From Ubers to Arctic mineral exploration, GPS is crucial to modern life. It’s also owned and operated by the U.S. government. With Trump in power, that’s become a problem.
“If Canada loses access, through any means, to the current position, navigation and timing system, it could cost the Canadian economy up to $1 billion a day,” Mike Greenley, chief executive of Canada’s space-sector giant MDA, said in an Ottawa speech last month.
Canada should have an alternative to the system, he said, which has been maintained by the United States since the U.S. launched it in 1973.
What can you do? How can you help?
PNT is the quiet backbone of everything — power, finance, transportation, defense. Too many leaders still don’t see the risk.
But you do.
You understand the systems, the dependencies, the failure chains. That insight is rare — and it’s exactly what your country needs.
So speak up.
Reach out to government leaders, industry decision‑makers, and your fellow citizens.
Show them why resilient PNT isn’t a feature — it’s the necessary foundation.
And when you get a response, tell us. Every conversation strengthens the mission.
