Today, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta, visited Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton to highlight defence investments across Alberta. These ongoing investments are supporting the modernization of military infrastructure, expanding industrial capacity, advancing defence innovation and equipping the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) with the facilities, capabilities and workforce it needs to defend Canada at home and contribute to operations around the world.
Worth approximately $8 billion, these ongoing investments include:
- nearly $4 billion to support future fighter capabilities at CFB Cold Lake;
- $750 million for a new Chemical and Biological Laboratory and Blast Assessment Centre at CFB Suffield;
- $550 million to establish the western operating base for the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) CC-330 Husky fleet; and
- over $580 million over the next three years for maintenance and repair work across CAF bases situated in Alberta.
Funds will also support the renewal and expansion of residential accommodations, operational facilities, logistics and warehousing capacity, training infrastructure, utilities, transportation networks, and support services across the province. The defence investments are estimated to support approximately 29,000 to 38,000 jobs in Alberta over the next five to 10 years while strengthening local supply chains and supporting businesses, skilled trades and communities.
The Minister also highlighted that the Government of Canada is re-opening the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace (DDIM) Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA), providing more Canadian companies with the opportunity to pre-qualify to supply the Department of National Defence autonomous systems capabilities and related services. The refreshed RFSA will help Canadian companies, including those in Alberta, continue to play a leading role in developing the capabilities needed to support Canada's future defence and security requirements.
On behalf of the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), Minister McGuinty announced over $8 million for seven projects to be administered through PrairiesCan under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII), the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, and the Regional Innovation Ecosystems program. This funding will contribute to economic resilience in the face of continued global uncertainty, helping many Alberta organizations advance their defence-related innovations. By helping firms expand capacity, commercialize technology, and strengthen their participation in domestic and international defence supply chains, these initiatives will create new opportunities for growth, investment, and high-quality jobs across the province.
During the visit, the Minister and Premier Smith discussed how the Government of Canada's investments to rebuild, rearm and reinvest in the CAF will benefit Alberta's defence industry and local economies.
