Canada set to invest $9 billion to strengthen defence capabilities

The Canadian government has announced their plan to increase and speed up investments in military defence efforts.

This new investment comes after last year’s defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free (OSNAF), which is an effort to strengthen Canada’s security and economic growth.

The feds say this new plan includes a cash increase of over $9 billion in defence investment this fiscal year.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said this plan is an effort for Canada to “achieve NATO’s two per cent target this year, half a decade ahead of schedule.”

Money is expected to be invested in the Department of National Defence (DND), the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and the Communications Security Establishment in 2025-2026.

Military recruitment efforts are receiving the largest sum of money from the overall investment as $2.6 billion is expected to be allocated towards accelerating recruitment and reinforcing retention.

The government says this money will be used to hit personnel goals, which would involve adding 13,000 regular and primary reserve members to the CAF by 2030.

Another $844 million is being allocated to the repair and maintenance of CAF equipment. It will also be invested to repair and sustain existing DND infrastructure.

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The next portion of the $9 billion investment will go towards “strengthening digital foundations,” which includes $560 million for cyber defence and enhancing capabilities to respond to cyber threats.

Canadian suppliers are also set to benefit as $1 billion of the investment is being put towards creating a self-sufficient military that will be able to defend the country from all sides, including the Arctic. The DND will move forward with commitments made in ONSAF, with a focus on Canadian suppliers.

Amid the ongoing tension with the United States, the Canadian government is focused on building defence partnerships with other nations, but will still leverage partnerships with the U.S. when it is in Canada’s best interest.

Due to this, the remaining $4.1 billion is being invested in defence partnerships and strengthening Canada’s relationship with the defence industry.

The government is set to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive Defence Industrial Strategy that will reduce obstacles that currently limit various Canadian industries’ ability to provide critical equipment and support to the CAF.

The feds are currently spending about 1.45 per cent of Canada’s GDP on defence and has failed to hit the two per cent target since 1990.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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