Montréal business community bids to host the DSRB

Several signatories took part in a press conference held at the National Bank’s head office, alongside Premier of Québec François Legault and Mayor of Montréal Soraya Martinez Ferrada. National Bank’s president and CEO Laurent Ferreira officially announced his institution’s endorsement for Montréal’s candidacy to host the DSR Bank.

“An institution of this scale must be able to count on a credible environment, solid economic and industrial ecosystems and genuine social cohesion,” the letter stated. “This is exactly what Montréal has to offer: a reliable, innovative and fully mobilized framework that will allow DSRB to launch its activities and then support them.”

“Montréal is the perfect city to host the Defence, Security & Resilience Bank. It is Canada’s most international city, recognized for its expertise in finance, defense and innovation. We join our voices today to send a strong message to the Government of Canada: we are counting on its support to ensure that Montréal is chosen”, said François Legault, Premier of Québec.

“Hosting the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank in Montreal would tangibly strengthen Québec’s international standing. With more than 70 international organizations established in the city, Montreal is a diplomatic hub in North America and offers a stable environment firmly oriented towards innovation, fully aligned with the ambitions of this new institution”, said Christopher Skeete, minister of International relations and la Francophonie.

“Our metropolis has the expertise, ecosystem and international credibility to host the DSR Bank. Montréal Inc. is united, ambitious and determined to position the city as a strategic pillar of the country’s security and economic prosperity,” said Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Mayor of the City of Montréal.

“National Bank is proud to support Montréal’s bid to host the DSR Bank. Our metropolis is a natural choice. It stands out for the strength of its institutions and the quality of its human capital. We have the expertise, infrastructure and vision required to make this project a success,” said Laurent Ferreira, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Canada.

Bolstering Montréal’s international leadership

The DSR Bank is being created to facilitate low-cost, multi-year funding of defence, security and resilience initiatives by NATO member states and allies. With confirmed commitment to the project, Canada has appointed Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada, as its representative in the negotiations slated to begin next month.

The DSR Bank would be a major economic lever in Montréal. It would create skilled jobs, strengthen Montréal’s international positioning in defence and security and increase Québec’s diplomatic visibility.

“The outstanding support we’re seeing today clearly demonstrates that Montréal is ready and equipped to support the DSR Bank from Day 1,” said Stéphane Paquet, president and CEO of Montréal International. “Montréal has a unique ability to unite economic, industrial and academic players around common goals. Here, the DSR Bank would find an ecosystem ripe for collaboration, innovation and long-term stability. Montréal is a clear candidate.”

“Montréal is not merely a candidate to host the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank — it stands out as the obvious choice. Here, businesses, talent and expertise are already in place. Our ecosystem in finance, aerospace, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is among the most dynamic in North America. Montréal can also rely on an exceptionally mobilised business community, ready to support the Bank’s establishment and success from day one. Locating the Bank in Montréal means placing it at the heart of the action, where projects are developed, financed and scaled internationally,” said Isabelle Dessureault, President and CEO, Montréal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

To learn the highlights of Montréal’s bid, click here.

Signatories are : Avison Young Québec; ADM Aéroports de Montréal; Aéro Montréal; Aerospace Technology Center; Airports Council International World; Amiral Ventures; AVENIR GLOBAL; Baker Tilly Montréal; BCE et Bell Canada; Bell Textron Canada; BMO; CAE; Cain-Lamarre; Cambli; Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters; CBRE; Metropolitan Montréal Chamber of Commerce; Claridge; Concordia University; Conseil du patronat du Québec; Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec; CS Group – Canada; Cybereco; DCM Group; DEL; Deloitte Canada et Chili; Dentons Canada; Desjardins Group; Dynajet Aviation; École de technologie supérieure; École nationale d’aérotechnique; Ekkinox-TLS; ESG UQAM; Espace Aéro; Faculty of Business Administration – Laval University; Fasken; Fauve; FCCQ; FDC Aero Composite; Finance Montréal; Fonds de solidarité FTQ; Forvis Mazars Canada; Gowling WLG; Groupe CH; Groupe Mandrake; HEC Montréal; Hydro-Québec; Hypertec; iA Financial Groupe; IAM Union Canada; IDU; Incendia Canada; Investissement Québec; IVADO Labs; Jones Lang LaSalle Services Immobiliers; Kevric; Kontron Canada; La Caisse; Lette LLP; Mannarino Systems & Software Inc.; Marmen; McGill University; Meloche Group; MET – Montreal metropolitan airport; Micrologic; MILA; Montreal Institute for Global Security; Montréal International; Nano One Materials; National Bank of Canada; Nault Avocats; Naval Québec; Netur; NexDev – Développement économique Haut-Richelieu; Norton Rose Fulbright; Optimum Financial Group; Palais des congrès de Montréal; Polytechnique Montréal; Pomerleau; Propulsion Québec; Québec Mining Association; Québec Tech; Québecor; Randstad Canada; Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton; Reaction Dynamics; Scale AI; Sherbrooke University; Shockform Aéronautique; Sourcinc; STIQ; Tact; Technum Québec; The Port of Montreal; Thermetco; Thrust Capital Partners; Tourisme Montréal; Université du Québec à Montréal; University of Montreal Unmanned Aerial System; Vallée de la transition énergétique; Volta Space Technologies; Wipro Lauak; WSP

About Montréal International

Montréal International is a non-profit organization funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal and the City of Montréal. Its mandate is to attract and retain foreign investment (companies and startups), international organizations and qualified talent to Greater Montréal by providing support services tailored to their needs.

Media contact

• Eve Caron
  Director, Public relations, Montréal International
  eve.caron@mtlintl.com
  514-210-0084
• Jessica Rousseau
  TACT Conseil
  jrousseau@tactconseil.ca
  438-396-8288