When Canada launched the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), the initial debate understandably focused on technical naval capabilities such as range, endurance, weapons and combat management systems, and performance in demanding operating environments. Increasingly, however, the program is being assessed through a broader lens: whether major defence procurement can deliver sovereign industrial capacity and contribute to Canada’s wider nation-building objectives.
Hanwha’s approach to CPSP reflects that shift more than others. Rather than treating the program as a transactional submarine acquisition, Hanwha has positioned CPSP as a strategic gateway for long-term industrial participation in Canada, linking defence sustainment with a broader portfolio of investment, trade, and industrial cooperation across multiple sectors.
The employment estimate reflects an interim assessment based on a defined portfolio of more than 20 Hanwha-linked industrial programs currently planned, or under development or consideration. These programs span defence sustainment and maintenance, repair and overhaul activities, submarine-related logistics and infrastructure, shipyard co-operation, domestic steel and materials, equipment localization, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and aviation systems, digital and AI-enabled solutions, satellite communications, joint R&D initiatives, and venture and SME investment in Canadian companies. Together, they form the analytical basis for the job-years estimate at this stage, with further analysis expected as individual programs advance in scope and execution.
What the numbers show
According to KPMG analysis, Hanwha-linked industrial cooperation related to CPSP is forecast to support approximately 15,000 average annual jobs over the program period. Across a 15-year period from 2026 to 2040, this equates to approximately 200,000 job-years, encompassing direct, indirect, and induced employment.
Employment results are expressed in job-years, representing the equivalent of one full-time worker performing a year’s worth of work over the 2026–2040 period.
The employment impact is driven by a broad, multi-sector industrial base spanning shipyard cooperation, domestic steel production, infrastructure, equipment localization, MRO, R&D, advanced manufacturing, and digital and satellite-enabled systems. This breadth of industrial activity enables sustained employment beyond a single defence platform and anchors CPSP within a long-term Canadian industrial ecosystem.
Where the employment comes from
The analysis highlights that employment effects are diversified across the Canadian economy. Large, long-running industrial and infrastructure projects support steady workforces over many years. Alongside this sit manufacturing and industrial activities such as equipment assembly, facility upgrades, maintenance operations, and logistics services, generating sustained demand for skilled technicians, engineers, and production workers across the value chain.
There is also a growing share of employment tied to advanced technology and innovation. Demand for digital engineering, AI-enabled systems, satellite communications, and applied research creates high-skill roles that complement traditional manufacturing and help keep Canada’s industrial base competitive.
Why these jobs last
This employment profile is driven by long-term operational activity rather than short-term construction, underpinned by the development of a through-life submarine sustainment and support ecosystem anchored in Canada. CPSP is structured as a multi-decade industrial program, spanning initial construction through decades of in-service support, maintenance, and upgrades. As a result, many of the jobs assessed in the KPMG analysis extend well into the 2030s and 2040s.
“Our commitment in Canada is centred on long-term employment and industrial growth,” said Hee Cheul Kim, President and CEO of Hanwha Ocean. “By investing across multiple sectors and working with Canadian partners nationwide, we are helping to build industrial capability that stays in Canada for decades.”
