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The Canadian Space Agency's Canadarm. (Image supplied)

The long-term space plan for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has been pushed back after officials promised it would be in the industry minister's office by the end of November, a senior CSA official said.

Marie-Claude Williamson, a CSA program scientist who specializes in geology, said the recent federal election was likely an important factor behind the delay.

Ms. Williamson reports directly to Alain Berinstain, the agency's director of planetary exploration and space astronomy. Mr. Berinstain has been working on the document along with Steve MacLean, a former astronaut appointed as CSA president in early September.

"I think it's probably because people can't deliver on such a document in such a short time; it's an important document," Ms. Williamson said.

The CSA's last stab at planning took place in 2003 with its Canadian Space Strategy, which was supposed to replace the long-term space plan of 1994.

But with the string of three short-term and interim presidents that came after 2005, industry observers criticized the CSA for not having the funds or willpower to provide concrete direction to Canadian aerospace companies.

So when Mr. MacLean was appointed, then-Industry Minister Jim Prentice tasked him with coming up with a long-term space plan to revitalize the agency. At the time, media reports said it was expected to be finished in about 60 days.

"That's a tall order. I know that Steve is capable of bringing together the stakeholders," Mr. Prentice said in a speech. "Time is of the essence, and I look forward to the plan in the coming months."

However, Mr. MacLean's arrival at his post came only six weeks before the election was called, making it difficult for him to shift priorities quickly, Ms. Williamson added.

"You know how government works. You're given a deadline and if it's impossible to reach, then somebody has to make a case that it's impossible to reach."

Ms. Williamson said she isn't sure when the plan will be finished. Jean-Pierre Arseneault, of the CSA's media relations office, called the situation as an ongoing process.

"I wouldn't call it a delay because . . . consultations are (still) going on. It's not that we had a specific deadline. I think in November people thought that the consultation would be over, but that's okay, that's good."

Officials at the minister's office referred OBJ's inquiry back to the CSA.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) Ltd., which has an office in Ottawa, is among the companies Mr. MacLean has consulted while formulating the plan.

"I wouldn't consider this a significant delay. You're dealing with government, and government bureaucracy sometimes makes things take time," said Philip Murphy, MDA's head of government relations.

"As far as I'm concerned," he added, "everything's on track as long as it's within a reasonable time period and presented to the minister's office before Christmas. That's all that really matters."

Such delays are a common thing due to consultations the CSA has to make with other agencies, said Bob Ryerson, who heads Kim Geomatics Corp. and advises industries and governments worldwide.

When the last long-term space plan was issued, Mr. Ryerson was involved in writing the documents to cabinet to justify its aims. He said two months is probably too short a time for the agency to do a comprehensive plan, adding Mr. Prentice probably had the near-sale this year of MDA to an American firm on his mind when he gave Mr. MacLean a mandate to act quickly.

"I don't know what motivates the minister, but I suspect he's looking at a great kerfuffle with MDA. We got all of this other stuff going on, we got MDA saying the jobs are all going to go away. We've got a company that is important to the country saying they are going to lay off people. Give me a plan on what is going to happen."

Especially with Mr. MacLean being brand-new to his post, it will take some time for him to develop the necessary contacts he needs to make sure all industry partners are consulted for the plan, Mr. Ryerson added.

"What does the forest industry need? What do the people monitoring our sovereignty need?

"What does everyone want, and who has the money to go after it?"

Although there has been a delay in issuing the plan, the CSA's Ms. Williamson said the agency is working hard to get it finished as soon as possible.

From attending the Nov. 2 Canadian Space Summit in Montreal and listening to officials from aerospace firms such as COM DEV and MDA, she said she observes a renewed sense of urgency and optimism among industry players with Mr. MacLean's appointment.

"You have a sense that industry is ready. I think what they're looking for is guidelines from the agency," she said.

"So we're in that pinch moment where (companies) are saying, 'what is it that we're going to do to make sure that maybe, eventually, a Canadian is going to land on the moon? What's our next Canadarm?' They're looking for guidance, they're looking for priorities. What are the priorities?"