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Minister Duclos addresses defence and security industry at CANSEC 2024

Published: May 30, 2024

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, attended CANSEC 2024, Canada’s leading defence, security and emerging technology event, and took the opportunity to address participants and make important announcements related to defence and aerospace procurement.

Minister Duclos highlighted the importance of industry engagement in building and maintaining resilient supply chains that are critical to our country’s defence. Canada’s defence industry includes hundreds of critical companies that help sustain and equip the Canadian Armed Forces and those of our allies. As announced in Our North, Strong and Free, the Government of Canada is undertaking a review of defence procurement, including examining defence industrial initiatives and strategies to ensure opportunities for Canadian companies in the supply chain, and to support Canadian innovation in the defence industry.

Minister Duclos also updated participants on the upcoming Canadian program for cyber security certification, which will support Canadian industry competing domestically and abroad for various procurements by demonstrating their preparedness to meet advanced and rapidly evolving cyber threats.

As part of his speech, Minister Duclos announced 3 in-service support contract extensions for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s existing fleet of CH-149 Cormorant and CP-140 Aurora. A first contract amendment, awarded to IMP Aerospace, will extend in-service support for the CH-149 Cormorant until 2032. Furthermore, 2 contract amendments have been awarded to IMP Aerospace and L3Harris Technologies MAS to extend the CP-140 Aurora’s in-service support contracts until 2030, when the fleet reaches end-of-life expectancy.

In addition to supporting these key aircraft, these projects will support the growth and competitiveness of Canada’s aerospace and defence sectors. Through the application of Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, IMP Aerospace and L3Harris Technologies MAS will ensure a strong industrial capability in Canada, securing the robust supply chains needed to maintain Canada’s CH-149 Cormorant and the CP-140 Aurora fleets.

Minister Duclos’ presence at this major event highlights the Government of Canada’s commitment to continuously engage with and support experts from the defence and aerospace industry. The Minister also took advantage of his participation to tour the exhibit floor, meet with industry and find out more about recent and emerging technologies, equipment and services.

Quotes

“Canada’s aerospace and defence industry is a cornerstone of our economy and secures highly skilled, well-paid jobs for Canadian workers. A strong partnership between the government and industry is essential to Canada’s security and preparedness, and CANSEC is an excellent opportunity to learn about what’s available today, and what’s possible tomorrow, to support the Canadian Armed Forces for years to come.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement

“These investments will help sustain Canada’s CH-149 Cormorant and CP-140 Aurora fleets — ensuring that the Royal Canadian Air Force can continue to deter, detect and defend against threats to Canadians, and carry out search and rescue missions. In partnership with Canada’s defence and aerospace industries, we are giving our members the tools that they need to fulfil their crucial missions.”

The Honourable Bill Blair
Minister of National Defence

“These strategic partnerships with IMP Aerospace and L3 Harris Technologies MAS are not only extending critical in-service support contracts for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleets but also ensuring the continued competitiveness of our domestic industry. Through our ITB Policy, the contract extensions announced today at CANSEC will create high-value jobs and contribute to economic growth across Canada.”

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Quick facts

  • CANSEC is Canada’s leading defence, security and emerging technology event that has been held annually in Ottawa since 1998 by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries. It’s the best place to be to get the latest information about leading-edge technologies, products and services for land-based, naval, aerospace and joint forces military units.
  • For the Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification, a Request for Information was posted on CanadaBuys on May 2, 2024. The new cybersecurity program will enhance the safeguarding of the Government of Canada’s unclassified contractual information held on defence suppliers’ networks, systems and applications. This is of critical importance for Canada’s resilience against cyber threats.
  • For the CH-149 Cormorant fleet, IMP Aerospace’s current in-service support contract has been extended for an additional 6 years, plus 2 one-year options and one 6-month extension, from April 1, 2024, to September 30, 2032. This contract extension is required to sustain the fleet until full operational capacity is reached for the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade project, and has an estimated value of $1.02 billion.
  • The CH-149 Cormorant in-service support contract extension with IMP Aerospace has the potential to create or maintain 210 jobs annually, and contribute $23 million annually into Canada’s gross domestic product over a 9-year period.
  • For the CP-140 Aurora, a contract extension has been awarded to IMP Aerospace, for the Primary Air Vehicle (PAV), and a second contract extension has been awarded to L3Harris Technologies MAS Inc. for the Avionics System (AVS). The contract amendments will help extend services to the fleet by up to 5 years, from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030, and have an estimated total combined value of $639 million.
  • The CP-140 Aurora PAV and AVS contract extensions have the potential to create or maintain 1,140 jobs annually, and contribute $120 million annually into Canada’s gross domestic product over a 5 year period.