Overview
- Ottawa sets a goal for Canadian firms to win 70% of defence acquisitions and defines 10 “sovereign capabilities” spanning ammunition, drones, aerospace and advanced sensors.
- Targets include creating 125,000 jobs over the next decade, lifting exports by 50%, increasing industry revenues by more than 240% and boosting defence-related R&D investment by about 85%.
- The government will select “defence champions” by summer, reform industrial-benefit rules to favor Canadian supply chains, and enlarge the Defence Investment Agency with plans to make it an independent office.
- Operational steps add fleet serviceability targets of 75% for maritime, 80% for land and 85% for air assets, plus a munitions push that includes domestic nitrocellulose production starting in 2029.
- Unveiled after a weekend leak and early opposition criticism, the strategy complements pledges to meet NATO spending benchmarks, including 2% of GDP this year and 5% by 2035.