Canada Rocket Company has broken ground on a $30 million rocket-engine testing facility in London, Ontario, marking a new investment in Canada’s growing aerospace and space-technology sector.

The Jeremy Hansen Test Facility, located near London International Airport, will provide infrastructure for testing rocket engines being developed by the Toronto-based company.

The 12,000-square-foot facility is planned to include engineering and fabrication space as well as up to three engine test stands capable of handling engines producing more than one meganewton of thrust.

Canada Rocket Company expects the project to create at least 40 jobs within 18 months, including engineering and technical positions. The broader rocket-development program is projected by the company to generate approximately 1,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in additional investment over the next decade.

The company is developing a reusable medium-lift rocket and says the London facility will help it test and validate critical propulsion systems before flight. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2028.

The project is also being positioned as part of efforts to strengthen Canada’s domestic aerospace capabilities. Canada Rocket Company received $8.3 million through the Department of National Defence’s IDEaS program to support its launch-technology development.

The investment adds a new aerospace business to London’s industrial base while creating opportunities for partnerships with Western University and Fanshawe College to develop the skilled workforce needed for the sector.