Manitoba engineer helping to build alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink

Maralee chats with U of M professor Philip Ferguson about Telesat, a Canadian alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink.

A University of Manitoba professor is a part of a team hard at work creating a Canadian satellite alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink network.

Philip Ferguson, an associate professor in the university’s mechanical engineering department, is helping develop the technology at Telesat.

The Ottawa-based company hopes to build a 200-satellite network to support Canada, so those relying on Musk’s Starlink can cut the cord with that company.

“Telesat is looking to offer a Canadian solution to high-speed Internet access all across Canada and really around the world, similar to what Starlink is doing,” he said in an interview with CTV News Winnipeg senior anchor Maralee Caruso.

Currently, more than half of Canada’s provincial and territorial governments buy critical Internet and emergency communication services from Starlink, the satellite constellation owned by Musk’s SpaceX.

Away from that company, the billionaire is acting as a top adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Canada with annexation.

Manitoba currently has a contract with Starlink to provide service to several remote areas, though a provincial spokesperson told The Canadian Press earlier this week they are monitoring the situation and considering its options.

Ferguson hopes his research will help shift this reliance.

“We’re trying to develop satellite systems that live on blimps that deliver this directly into the hands of the people that need it,” he said.

It’s a project that got a $2.14 billion boost from the federal government last fall—a loan to help Telecast build its broadband satellite constellation in what then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as Canada’s largest ever space program.

Trudeau said the investment was about making sure all Canadians, including those living in distant communities, can be connected.

It’s an inequity Ferguson hopes Telesat’s satellite network will correct.

“People down south have access to high-speed Internet and the people up north simply do not,” he said.

“If we can leverage and make more accessible aerospace technology to help these communities, then I think that’s great.”

According to the engineer, this technology is being developed alongside scientists living in those communities to understand their specific needs and experiences.

The plan is to begin launching satellites in early 2026. There are already a few test satellites in space right now to demonstrate their capabilities, but Ferguson said they hope to connect their airships to these networks by the end of next year or even sooner.

“The sooner the better. Any time that we can get all Canadians connected to high-speed Internet is a good day for Canada, especially if that is a Canadian solution.”

- With files from CTV’s Maralee Caruso and The Canadian Press