General Dynamics Canada Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Flag raising ceremony marks corporate milestone

General Dynamics Canada officially celebrated its 60th Anniversary today with a flag raising ceremony at its corporate headquarters in Ottawa.

Incorporated on August 31, 1948, as Computing Devices of Canada, the company was founded by three entrepreneurs to support the rebuilding of Canada’s military after the Second World War. From those humble beginnings, the company has grown into one of Canada’s premier defence companies with more than 2,200 employees working in state-of-the-art facilities across Canada – including a workforce of 1,500 based in the nation’s capital. The company is celebrating 60 years of continuous operations and dedicated service to the Canadian Forces.

“We are proud of the accomplishments and contributions our company has made to Canada’s defence and aerospace industries over the past 60 years, and of our enduring commitment to the Canadian Forces and the security of our country,” said John Watts, president of General Dynamics Canada. “Our employees - past and present - include many of the best and brightest minds in Canada, and, with their ongoing commitment and contribution, General Dynamics Canada is well positioned to continue in its role as one of Canada’s premier defence contractors.”

The event was attended by Mr. Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton, who presented General Dynamics Canada with the flag that flew this year atop Canada’s Peace Tower on Parliament Hill on August 31, marking the original date of the company’s incorporation.

The 60th Anniversary coincides with the opening in the Halifax Regional Municipality of General Dynamics Canada’s Maritime In-Service Support Centre of Excellence. This state-of-the-art, four-story building is owned by Nova Scotia’s Millbrook First Nation and is designed to accommodate up to 170 skilled technology workers who will provide systems integration and software support for a variety of General Dynamics Canada programs.

With the inauguration of the new Halifax facility the company now has business operations in every region of the country. In addition to the new Halifax facility, the company has operations in Bells Corners and Kanata in Ottawa, and a campus in Calgary.