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Home » News » Minister Anand announces continental defence modernization to protect Canadians
Published: juin 20, 2022
As autocratic regimes threaten the rules-based international order, the security and defence impacts of climate change increase, and our competitors develop new technologies like hypersonic weapons and advanced cruise missiles, there is a pressing need to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that has kept Canadians and Americans safe for over 60 years.
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand, accompanied by General Wayne Eyre, the Chief of Defence Staff, and Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier, Deputy Commander of NORAD, announced Canada’s plan to modernize Canada’s continental defence capabilities and protect Canadians from new and emerging threats.
Supported by an investment of $3 billion over six years from existing Budget 2022 allocations, starting in 2022-23, with $1.9 billion in remaining amortization (or $4.9 billion on a cash basis), the plan includes a series of new and enhanced capabilities to ensure our Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and NORAD can detect, deter and defend Canadians against threats well into the future.
These capabilities fall under five, inter-related areas of investment that will:
Taken together, these investments will bolster NORAD and CAF’s ability to protect Canadians against new and emerging military threats to North America, protect North America as a base for full and free engagement abroad, and reinforce NATO’s Western flank at a time where autocratic regimes are seeking to threaten the rules-based international order.
Long term investments will also strengthen Canada’s innovation and industrial sectors, while generating significant economic and job creation benefits across the country, and they will offer meaningful new opportunities to deepen National Defence’s strong northern, territorial, and Indigenous partnerships as we work together to advance shared objectives.
Our plan builds on the foundations that the Government has set for NORAD modernization through investments in Budgets 2021 and 2022, and is in line with the priority areas outlined in the Joint Statement on NORAD Modernization from August 2021. Budget 2022 commits to a Defence Policy update, through which the Government will further review the resources, roles and responsibilities of the CAF, to reflect our changing world.
“As autocratic regimes threaten the rules-based international order, as the security and defence impacts of climate change increase, and as our competitors develop new technologies like hypersonic weapons, there is a pressing need to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that has kept us safe for over 60 years. The plan brought forward today will deliver modern, state-of-the-art equipment for our Canadian Armed Forces, who put their lives on the line every single day to ensure the security and sovereignty of our country, and it will protect Canadians for generations. NORAD has continually adapted and evolved in response to new threats. Today, we turn another page, and begin NORAD’s next chapter.”
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence
“Defending Canada’s Arctic Sovereignty requires a commitment to working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners, and today’s announcement demonstrates just that. Investments in northern infrastructure, defence capabilities, and enhanced threat monitoring will benefit all Northerners including Indigenous partners. Inuit communities and their knowledge of the land, waters, and environment play a central role in affirming and defending Canada’s North and Arctic, and we will work collaboratively with Inuit through the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee, and the Inuit Nunangat Policy.”
The Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
“In the face of evolving strategic competition and potential threats to North America across all domains and from all axes, investment in domain awareness and enhanced resilient command and control capabilities coupled with cutting edge research and development will strongly position NORAD to detect and understand potential threats faster, enabling NORAD to provide credible deterrence and, if required, defeat options sooner to military and government leaders.”
U.S. Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck, Commander of NORAD