Ontario Aerospace Council

What Ontario Aerospace Council does

Ontario Aerospace Council (OAC) is a non-profit industry association founded in 1993 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It functions as the principal advocacy body and industry network for Ontario's aerospace sector, whose members represent over 70% of the province's aerospace manufacturing base. The organization serves corporate members across four tiers — Industry, Associate, Education, and Out-of-Province — spanning OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, SMEs, service providers, academic institutions, and out-of-province companies seeking Ontario market access.

OAC operates as an event- and community-led association rather than a product company. Its core offerings include the annual Aerospace Unplugged market forecast event, the Beyond the Barriers R&T Conference (co-led with Downsview Aerospace Innovation & Research), the OAC Scholarship Program for aerospace students, the Ontario Aerospace Capabilities Directory, industry-led training programs for aerospace assemblers and CNC machinists, and facilitation of international trade missions to Farnborough, Paris Le Bourget, NBAA-BACE, PNAA, and ADSS. Member-only programs such as Breakfast with the Board and the Research & Technology Committee round out the engagement surface.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual corporate membership dues (e.g., $700/year for ≤50 employees, $13.75/employee for 51+ employees, $550 associate, $525 education, $450+20% out-of-province), supplemented by event registration fees (members receive 25% savings) and individual event tickets (e.g., $350+HST for the London 2026 reception). The council is supported by a board composed of C-suite executives from Airbus Helicopters Canada, Bombardier, Magellan Aerospace, Safran Landing Systems, L3Harris, MHI Canada Aerospace, Celestica, De Havilland Canada, and others, and operates with three staff members led by CEO Natasha Gagnon (appointed December 2023). Strategic partners include the Government of Ontario, AIAC, DAIR, KPMG, BDC, Economical Insurance, and the Cyber Security Global Alliance.

Name

Ontario Aerospace Council

Legal name

Ontario Aerospace Council

Website

https://theoac.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ontario Aerospace Council is a non-profit industry association founded in 1993 that represents over 70% of Ontario's aerospace manufacturing base, serving OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, SMEs, and academia through advocacy, international trade missions, events, and workforce development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pickering

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: OAC generates revenue primarily through annual corporate membership dues from industry, associate, education, and out-of-province members. Industry membership is priced based on employee count (50 or fewer employees at $700/year, or $13.75 per employee for 51+). Associate members pay $550/year, education members $525/year.
2. Event Registration Fees: OAC charges fees for event attendance including their flagship Aerospace Unplugged event, Beyond the Barriers R&T Conference, international trade show missions, and other industry events. Members receive 25% savings on event pricing.
3. Event Tickets: OAC sells tickets to special events such as the Ontario Aerospace Reception & Dinner in London 2026 at $350 per person plus HST.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ontario Aerospace Council is a not-for-profit industry association that provides advocacy, networking, training, and market intelligence services to Ontario's aerospace sector. Its core offerings include corporate membership tiers, flagship events (Aerospace Unplugged, Beyond the Barriers R&T Conference), industry-led training programs (Aerospace Assembler, CNC Machinists), an annual aerospace scholarship program, an Ontario Aerospace Capabilities Directory, and facilitation of participation in international trade shows such as Farnborough, Paris Le Bourget, and NBAA-BACE.

Product overview

Ontario Aerospace Council (OAC) is a membership-based industry association, not a product company. Its offerings consist of advocacy services, networking events, training programs, scholarships, and industry publications. Key offerings include: the annual Aerospace Unplugged flagship event for market intelligence; the Beyond the Barriers R&T Conference for research and technology collaboration; the OAC Scholarship Program supporting Ontario aerospace students; the Ontario Aerospace Capabilities Directory promoting member companies globally; the Aerospace Assembler and CNC Machinists training programs developed in partnership with industry; and facilitation of participation in international trade shows including Farnborough and Paris Le Bourget. OAC also hosts networking events, Breakfast with the Board quarterly forums, and provides access to a member directory and industry intelligence through various seminars and workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aerospace Unplugged Annual flagship event presenting global aerospace market forecasts, data, trends, and outlooks from industry experts including Richard Aboulafia, Ron Epstein, and Kevin Michaels. Open to OAC members and industry participants.
• Beyond the Barriers R&T Conference Two-day annual conference developed by the OAC Research & Technology Committee showcasing innovation projects, facilitating industry-academia collaborations, supporting startups, and highlighting disruptive technologies and student talent.
• OAC Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program awarding $2,500 scholarships to Ontario post-secondary aerospace students from first-year through postgraduate studies. 2026 program offers 13 scholarships.
• Ontario Aerospace Capabilities Directory Annual publication promoting Ontario's aerospace industry and member companies to the global aerospace market, available as a downloadable PDF and searchable online database.
• Aerospace Assembler Program Industry-led training program for aerospace assemblers, funded by the Ontario Government Youth Skills Development Initiative. Provides classroom training by industry experts followed by hands-on shop floor training.
• CNC Machinists Program Industry-led program selecting, training, and certifying trainees as CNC operators in Ontario-based companies. Created in response to industry hiring challenges for qualified CNC operators with over 100 graduates to date.
• International Trade Show Facilitation Service facilitating member participation in international trade and supplier B2B shows including Farnborough International Airshow, Paris Le Bourget Airshow, NBAA-BACE, PNAA Conference, and ADSS, with preferred rates for OAC members through Government of Ontario partnerships.
• Breakfast with the Board Exclusive quarterly members-only forum hosted by OAC Board members, allowing member companies to bring industry issues and opportunities for direct discussion with the Board.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ontario aerospace sector generates $6.4 billion in annual economic output
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cyber Security Global Alliance (CSGA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2024Formal partnership announced May 2024 with CSGA and Terranova Defense Solutions for cybersecurity initiatives in the aerospace sector.
• Government of OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAC works closely with the Ontario government on trade missions, economic development initiatives, and aerospace sector promotion. The government provides support for international trade show participation and member events.
• Academia (Ontario Colleges & Universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAC partners with academic institutions for workforce development, research initiatives, and the scholarship program. 6 universities offer aerospace engineering programs and 16 institutions offer applied aviation and space programs.
• Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational industry association partnership for aerospace advocacy and policy coordination at the federal level.
• Downsview Aerospace Innovation & Research (DAIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAIR co-leads OAC's Research & Technology Committee with Brandon Robinson of Horizon Aircraft. DAIR focuses on bringing academia and industry together for aerospace innovation.
• KPMGminorOthersCorporate partner providing professional services support to OAC members.
• BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada)minorOthersCorporate partner providing financing solutions and advisory services for OAC members.
• Economical InsuranceminorOthersOAC collaborates with Economical Insurance to offer custom Car & Home Group Insurance protection to employees of member companies.
• CenterStage AVminorOthersCorporate partner providing audiovisual services for OAC events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/the_oac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ontario-aerospace-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/ontarioaerospace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ontario Aerospace Council