Ottawa Strengthens Global Position with Strategic London Trade Mission

From left to right: Antoine Sauvageau-Audet, Head of International Public Affaires, InCyber Forum; Keith Cunnane, General Manager at SEA Canada; Michael Crockatt, President and CEO, Ottawa Tourism; Lesley Pincombe, President and CEO, Rogers Centre Ottawa; Sonya Shorey, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa; and Stephanie Seguin, VP, Business and Major Events, Ottawa Tourism.

Ottawa Tourism has wrapped up a high-impact trade mission to London, further consolidating the city’s position as a strategic destination for international business events, investment and cross-sector collaboration in cybersecurity, defence and advanced technologies.

A standout moment of the programme was the “Unlocking Unlimited Opportunities in Ottawa” reception at Canada House, delivered in partnership with Invest Ottawa and Rogers Centre Ottawa. The event convened leaders from the technology, cybersecurity and defence sectors for an evening centred on insight, networking and strategic exchange. Discussions focused on the potential for UK organisations to engage with Ottawa as a destination for conferences, partnerships and North American expansion, particularly across areas such as AI, telecom, enterprise software and dual-use technologies.

Throughout the mission, Ottawa’s strengths as both Canada’s capital and a globally connected innovation hub were brought into focus. The city’s ecosystem, where government, academia and industry operate in close alignment, supports a thriving cluster of cybersecurity companies, world-class talent and advanced R&D capabilities. This positioning enables Ottawa to play a key role in safeguarding digital infrastructure, advancing secure technologies and hosting the conversations shaping the future of innovation.

As the city’s destination marketing and management organisation, Ottawa Tourism continues to drive the attraction of major international meetings and sector-focused events, working closely with partners such as Invest Ottawa and Rogers Centre Ottawa to generate value for clients while supporting local innovation and knowledge exchange.

The mission also placed a spotlight on Rogers Centre Ottawa, the city’s flagship convention venue and a cornerstone of its business events proposition. Located in the heart of downtown, the Centre offers highly adaptable meeting spaces and the scale required to host international conventions, conferences and exhibitions, strengthening Ottawa’s competitiveness on the global stage.
 

Ottawa Parliament Hill over the Ottawa River © Alex Grégoire-Denicourt

Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, said: “Our UK mission was an important opportunity to strengthen relationships with organisations that see the value of Ottawa as both a conference destination and a centre of innovation. Ottawa offers something few cities can match: close connections between business, government, academia and research, all within a highly collaborative ecosystem. For organisations working across cybersecurity, defence and emerging technologies, that creates real opportunities to connect, grow and lead.”

Lesley Pincombe, President & CEO of Rogers Centre Ottawa, said: “Ottawa offers conference organisers a powerful combination of venue, destination and sector expertise. Rogers Centre Ottawa gives planners the flexibility and scale to host world-class conventions and meetings, while the city itself offers direct access to leaders in government, research and industry. That combination creates a compelling proposition for international events looking to deliver both strong attendance and meaningful connection.”

In addition to the Canada House reception on 14 April 2026, Ottawa Tourism hosted a more targeted, buyer-focused evening on 15 April at Fulham Football Club, creating further opportunities to engage directly with event planners and showcase the destination’s credentials within the meetings and conventions landscape.

The London mission also illustrated Ottawa’s continued ability to attract globally significant events and investment. Among the examples highlighted were INCYBER Forum Canada 2026, which selected Ottawa for the strength and connectivity of its technology and defence ecosystem, and SEA, the UK-based defence engineering company that has expanded its North American footprint with a new research, development and manufacturing facility in the city.

For UK organisations and event organisers, Ottawa presents a compelling offer: direct access to decision-makers in a G7 capital, a deep pool of specialised talent, and expertise spanning cybersecurity, defence, aerospace, AI and communications technologies. Supported by venues such as Rogers Centre Ottawa and a highly collaborative ecosystem, these strengths continue to position Ottawa as a destination where events translate into meaningful connections, knowledge exchange and long-term impact.
 

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