In the context of an “international security crisis,” Canada will invest $8.1 billion over the next five years to strengthen its national defense – and $73 billion over the next 20 years. However, these massive investments will not allow the country to reach the famous NATO target, which wants its members to devote more than 2% of their GDP to defense.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of National Defense Bill Blair made the announcement Monday in Ontario, unveiling Canada’s defense policy update, titled “Our North, strong and free: A renewed vision for the defense of Canada”.
This new policy replaces the current policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, released in 2017, and defines the army’s priorities for 20 years.
Ottawa’s new investments will instead increase its current military spending from 1.33% of GDP to 1.76% in 2029-2030.
“This is a significant increase in Canada’s defense spending and [cela] represents a major step forward in our efforts to allocate 2% of the country’s GDP,” we can read in the fifty-page update.
“Real progress”
However, this contribution remains much lower than many other NATO countries.
In an email sent to Duty, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Ottawa’s announcement, but recalled that ⅔ of the allies have now reached the 2% threshold. “I count on Canada to achieve this objective as soon as possible, both for its own security and that of the Alliance,” he said.
Questioned by journalists, Prime Minister Trudeau denied having invested massively in defense since coming to power and said he wanted to “continue working” to achieve the NATO target.
“We know there will be more to come in the years to come as Canada continues to step up its efforts in a more uncertain and, frankly, more dangerous world,” he said at the Forces base. from Trenton, Ontario.
In 2014, NATO leaders agreed that each member should spend 2% of its GDP on defense to, among other things, ensure alliance-wide operational readiness.
The United States Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, also applauded these new investments. “Moving from 1.33% to 1.76% by 2029-2030 is real progress, and we are also encouraged by the assurances we have received of additional investments,” he said via channel. of press release.
Defend the Arctic
The defense of sovereignty in the Arctic, where threats have increased in recent years, is at the heart of Ottawa’s defense policy update.
“Climate change is disproportionately affecting our Arctic, which is warming four times the global average. As the polar ice cap melts, the Arctic becomes more accessible and we are seeing much more Russian and Chinese activity in the region,” Minister Bill Blair said in English.
Ottawa plans to acquire maritime sensors to monitor the oceans, worth $1.4 billion over 20 years, as well as $218 million over 20 years for the development of infrastructure in the North.
In recent years, several experts and parliamentary committees have sounded the alarm about Russian threats in the North and the importance of investing in water monitoring.
Much of the spending planned in the update is after the 2025 federal election.