The Government of Canada has notified Spire Global Canada that it has terminated its contract to design and develop the WildFireSat satellite constellation.
According to a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Spire Global received a written notice on April 23, 2026, from the Minister of Public Works and Government Services (PWGS) terminating the agreement “for convenience,” effective immediately. The Phase B and C contract would have had an aggregate value of $71.8 million, including harmonized sales tax, if all contractual milestones had been achieved. The value of the overall WildFireSat satellite constellation including Phase D for manufacturing, system assembly, and integration is $106 million.
WildFireSat mission setback
This represents a serious setback for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and other government departments who are participating in the mission. Only a month ago the project was being touted as high return-on-investment climate mission in the annual Canadian Space Agency 2026–27 Departmental Plan.
The contract was initially announced on February 12, 2025. Spire was tasked with designing and developing the dedicated constellation, while partnering with OroraTech to develop the wildfire detection payloads and data handling system. As SpaceQ previously reported, the planned constellation was slated to consist of 10 small satellites: seven active satellites, two on-orbit spares, and one spare kept on the ground in reserve for the future.
The WildFireSat mission—a joint initiative by the CSA, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada—was targeting a launch in 2029 to provide data on wildfire behaviour during peak burn periods. At the time of the contract award, government officials praised the initiative. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, stated, “Through investments in WildFireSat, we are using innovative space capabilities to improve Canada’s resilience in the face of today’s environmental challenges. Thanks to this mission, Canada is strengthening its ability to monitor and manage wildfires, which are a growing risk for our country.”
Similarly, Theresa Condor, CEO of Spire Global, highlighted the mission’s importance, stating, “Detecting wildfires is one of the most impactful satellite capabilities, offering significant benefits for public safety, environmental health and the economy,” and adding that the company was “proud to work with the Government of Canada, which is paving the way in developing a next-generation wildfire monitoring system to protect its citizens and communities.”
What comes next and many questions
With the sudden termination for convenience, the future of the mission’s procurement is unclear. Under the PWGS procedures, Spire has until May 7, 2026, to submit a settlement proposal for costs arising from the termination. Once these settlement costs are negotiated and paid, questions remain regarding how much of the original budget will be preserved for the mission, and when or if the CSA will seek an alternative prime contractor to take over the design and development. There is also the question of how long a delay will would be incurred. And of course, why was the contract terminated? And why use the “for convenience” option rather than for cause?
SpaceQ reached out to the CSA late yesterday with several questions and a request for comment. While they did acknowledge receipt, which included a deadline for this story, we had not heard back before publishing. We will have a follow-up on this developing story when new information becomes available.