The federal authorities is upgrading services for the Canadian army’s counter-terrorism unit to satisfy its “long-term development … and high-readiness operational” wants, Nationwide Defence Minister Anita Anand introduced March 21.
The $1.4 billion improve to the Dwyer Hill Coaching Centre in Ottawa will add over 100,000 sq. toes and change 89 growing older and non permanent buildings with 23 new services. It’s anticipated to take a decade to finish and create 2,000 jobs, Anand stated, talking from defence headquarters.
The services will probably be “net-zero prepared” with absolutely electrical programs with the federal targets for decreasing carbon emissions in thoughts, Anand stated.
The Joint Job Drive 2 (JTF 2), which is a unit of Canadian Particular Operations Forces Command, will proceed coaching and operations all through the renovations, that are set to start in Could.
Defence Spending
Anand instructed reporters the brand new venture will greater than double JTF 2’s present operational work and coaching capacities. She stated the funding reveals the federal government’s willingness to extend nationwide defence spending.
“We’re very dedicated to NATO,” she stated. “We are going to proceed to make sure that we’re contributing to our multilateral alliances throughout the board—NATO and NORAD included.”
Anand additionally stated there was an “upward trajectory” in defence budgeting by the federal government lately, referencing a virtually $5 billion funding into the North American Aerospace Protection Command (NORAD) that she introduced in June 2022.
Nonetheless, as of the final fiscal yr, Canada’s defence spending nonetheless fell beneath the quantity NATO asks of its member nations.
NATO has requested its members since 2006 to commit at the very least two p.c of their GDP to nationwide defence funding, however a 2022 NATO report confirmed that Canada’s army spending declined to simply 1.27 p.c of its GDP in 2022.
U.S. President Joe Biden will probably be visiting Canada from March 23 to 24, and reporters requested Anand if the Liberal authorities is planning to unveil any new nationwide defence expenditures in the course of the president’s go to.
Anand didn’t instantly reply the query, saying Canada will stay dedicated to its “multilateral alliances.”
“NATO is not any exception,” she added.
Isaac Teo contributed to this report.
