Ottawa-region manufacturer Tulmar Safety Systems has come up with a creative solution to one of the most unexpected workforce challenges in the defence industry: finding people who can sew.
As military spending ramps up around the world, the Hawkesbury-based company — located about an hour east of Ottawa — has seen demand for its specialized gear surge. But there's a catch. The skilled sewers needed to produce that equipment are increasingly hard to find, as industrial sewing has all but vanished from the Canadian labour market.
A Skill That Nearly Disappeared
For decades, sewing was a cornerstone of Canadian manufacturing. Garment factories once employed thousands across Ontario and Quebec. But as textile production shifted overseas, domestic training programs dried up and the workforce aged out. Today, finding someone who can operate an industrial sewing machine — let alone work with the heavy-duty materials used in military equipment — is a serious challenge.
Tulmar, which produces life-saving gear including parachutes, life rafts, helicopter flotation systems, and other critical defence products, felt that squeeze acutely. With order books growing and timelines tightening, the company decided it couldn't wait for the labour market to catch up.
Building the Pipeline From Scratch
The company's answer was to build its own talent pipeline: the Tulmar Sewing Academy. Rather than competing for a shrinking pool of experienced sewers, the academy trains people from the ground up, taking candidates with no prior experience and teaching them the precision sewing skills needed for military-grade manufacturing.
It's a significant investment, but one the company sees as essential. Defence products demand exacting standards — a poorly stitched parachute or flotation device isn't just a quality issue, it's a life-or-death one. The academy ensures every graduate meets those standards before they ever touch a production line.
What It Means for the Region
For Hawkesbury and the broader Ottawa–Eastern Ontario corridor, the academy represents something bigger than one company's hiring strategy. It's a new pathway into skilled, well-paying manufacturing work in a region that has seen its share of plant closures over the years.
The timing is notable. Canada has committed to increasing its defence spending toward NATO's two-per-cent-of-GDP target, and allied nations are similarly boosting their military budgets. That means companies like Tulmar are positioned for sustained growth — provided they can staff up to meet it.
A Model for Canadian Manufacturing?
Tulmar's approach could serve as a template for other manufacturers facing similar skills gaps. Across the Ottawa region and beyond, companies in aerospace, defence, and advanced manufacturing have flagged workforce shortages as a top concern. Employer-led training academies won't solve the problem overnight, but they offer a practical, immediate response.
For now, Tulmar is focused on filling its own ranks and delivering on the contracts rolling in. But the sewing academy sends a clear signal: when the skills you need don't exist in the market, sometimes you have to teach them yourself.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
