Latest news with #CF-18s
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
EDITORIAL: Auditor general targets spending on fighter jets
Auditor General of Canada, Karen Hogan, holds a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS Be alarmed. Be very alarmed. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account A day after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he will invest billions of new taxpayer dollars to meet Canada's NATO target of spending 2% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, a scathing report by the auditor general reveals massive cost overruns in the government's plan to modernize Canada's aging fleet of fighter jets. Karen Hogan reported Tuesday that the cost of buying 88 F-35 fighter jets to replace Canada's aging fleet of CF-18s — estimated at $19 billion in 2022 because the government used outdated information — had increased by almost 50% to $27.7 billion by 2024. That's without including the added costs of building essential infrastructure — now more than three years behind schedule — and purchasing advanced weaponry to make the F-35s fully operational, which Hogan said will add at least $5.5 billion more to the final price tag. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The fighter jet program also faces a shortage of qualified pilots, despite being warned about that issue in a 2018 report by the auditor general. Hogan said some of the government's cost increases were unavoidable due to inflation, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and supply chain shortages caused by the 2020 global pandemic. But others were caused by government failures. 'National Defence's approach to managing risks … had weaknesses, lacking proactive measures to minimize the impact of potential threats and the project did not have robust contingency plans,' Hogan concluded. Adding to the uncertainty is that Carney has ordered a review on whether Canada should purchase all 88 American-made fighter jets or consider possible alternatives such as European-made fighter jets. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More Defence Minister David McGuinty gave the standard government boilerplate response to the auditor general's findings, saying the government accepts the auditor general's recommendations and will implement some by Sept. 30 and others by Nov. 30. Which means that, as is the standard operating procedure in responses to critical auditor general reports these days, the same people who created the problems will now be trusted to fix them. That's disturbing in the context of the massive amount of new spending Carney has promised in order to hit Canada's NATO target of committing 2% of Canada's GDP annually to defence spending, starting during this fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026, compared to 1.4% last year. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Toronto Blue Jays NHL Crime
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: Auditor general targets spending on fighter jets
Be alarmed. Be very alarmed. A day after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he will invest billions of new taxpayer dollars to meet Canada's NATO target of spending 2% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, a scathing report by the auditor general reveals massive cost overruns in the government's plan to modernize Canada's aging fleet of fighter jets. Karen Hogan reported Tuesday that the cost of buying 88 F-35 fighter jets to replace Canada's aging fleet of CF-18s — estimated at $19 billion in 2022 because the government used outdated information — had increased by almost 50% to $27.7 billion by 2024. That's without including the added costs of building essential infrastructure — now more than three years behind schedule — and purchasing advanced weaponry to make the F-35s fully operational, which Hogan said will add at least $5.5 billion more to the final price tag. The fighter jet program also faces a shortage of qualified pilots, despite being warned about that issue in a 2018 report by the auditor general. Hogan said some of the government's cost increases were unavoidable due to inflation, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and supply chain shortages caused by the 2020 global pandemic. But others were caused by government failures. 'National Defence's approach to managing risks … had weaknesses, lacking proactive measures to minimize the impact of potential threats and the project did not have robust contingency plans,' Hogan concluded. Adding to the uncertainty is that Carney has ordered a review on whether Canada should purchase all 88 American-made fighter jets or consider possible alternatives such as European-made fighter jets. EDITORIAL: Meeting NATO's 2% target the right move EDITORIAL: Jobless numbers spell trouble Defence Minister David McGuinty gave the standard government boilerplate response to the auditor general's findings, saying the government accepts the auditor general's recommendations and will implement some by Sept. 30 and others by Nov. 30. Which means that, as is the standard operating procedure in responses to critical auditor general reports these days, the same people who created the problems will now be trusted to fix them. That's disturbing in the context of the massive amount of new spending Carney has promised in order to hit Canada's NATO target of committing 2% of Canada's GDP annually to defence spending, starting during this fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026, compared to 1.4% last year.
Hamilton Spectator
02-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Fighter jet project spurs contractor interest at Cold Lake recruitment event
by the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event, aimed at connecting local and regional businesses with upcoming work tied to the F-35 fighter jet program at 4 Wing Cold Lake, exceeded expectations, according to Cold Lake Chamber Executive Director Sherri Buckle. 'We were expecting about 150 people, and I just actually did the count this morning and we had 224 attendees,' said Buckle. Held in collaboration with project partners and industry experts, the event offered presentations that covered vital details on security clearances, approval processes, and the types of work required to support the major construction and retrofitting activities underway at the base. 'Cold Lake was chosen because of the military base, and that is primarily what we were gearing towards,' Buckle explained. 'The event yesterday was about educating contractors on the processes, what actually needs to be done in order to be approved to do work on 4 Wing.' The afternoon was dedicated to networking, with lineups forming at booths as attendees sought one-on-one conversations with project representatives. 'There is something for everyone whether you sell paper or you're an earth mover,' Buckle said. 'Anything that 4 Wing would contract out or buy, that's who should be in the room.' Buckle also underlined the importance of keeping the work regional to bolster local employment and stimulate the economy. 'If we can keep the work local, that ultimately allows for greater employment opportunities for our locals,' she said. 'This event was a true regional event.' Contractors who missed the session are encouraged to reach out to either the Cold Lake or Bonnyville Chamber of Commerce for follow-up information and resources. The Future Fighter Capability Project is a long-term federal initiative to replace Canada's aging fleet of CF-18s with 88 advanced F-35 fighter jets, requiring significant infrastructure upgrades and support services at bases like 4 Wing Cold Lake, according to the Defence Construction of Canada website. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
14-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Liberals revive campaign pitch for centralized military procurement agency
In the face of annexation threats from the Trump administration and a Canadian public increasingly demanding the federal government buy less from the United States, the Liberals have resurrected a previous campaign pitch to create a standalone defence procurement agency. Liberal Leader Mark Carney highlighted the pledge during a campaign stop in the Montreal area on Monday at the headquarters of Quebec-based aircraft-maker Bombardier. He promised to modernize procurement rules and amend legislation and regulations as required to "centralize expertise from across government and streamline the way we buy equipment for the military." During the 2015 campaign, the Liberals pledged to modernize defence purchasing. Four years later, they promised to establish Defence Procurement Canada to "ensure that Canada's biggest and most complex defence procurement projects are delivered on time and with greater transparency to Parliament." Risk of slowing down procurement Carney didn't address why previous efforts at major reforms fell by the wayside, but acknowledged how "we need to distinguish between announcements and what actually happens and how you actually get results." The idea of a single point of accountability for military equipment purchases — instead of a multi-department approach — has been around since at least 2008 and generally supported by some defence observers and former officials as a more efficient way of delivering on projects, some of which have taken decades to see through to completion. The head of the country's defence industry association sounded cautious. "This isn't the first time a centralized procurement agency has been floated," said Christyn Cianfarani, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). "It's a tempting solution, because it seems relatively simple on its surface, but previous governments have never found a way to make it work." She said such an agency would require "huge" changes to the procurement process. "The growing pains during that transition could actually slow down procurement at a time when Canada needs to speed it up," she said. Carney says Liberals would bolster military, update defence procurement 3 hours ago Duration 2:47 On Monday, Carney once again pushed the notion that Canada must diversify where it buys its military equipment. "The priorities of the United States, once closely aligned with our own, have shifted," Carney said in his speech. "For too long, our military has been underfunded and overly reliant on the United States." Prior to the election, Carney ordered Defence Minister Bill Blair to review the ongoing purchase of U.S.-made F-35 fighters. The air force requires 88 advanced warplanes to replace the four-decade-old CF-18s. The federal government has committed and paid for the first tranche of 16 and suggested it could perhaps fill the rest of the need by pivoting to another aircraft-maker and running two fleets of fighter jets. As part of the Liberal plan, the party says if it forms government it would also establish research and engineering to have made-in-Canada innovative solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and cybersecurity. Last summer, Canada's Defence Department and military admitted in a long-awaited review that their approach and implementation toward the use of artificial intelligence is "fragmented" and unco-ordinated. The department's new strategy was candid, saying neither the Department of National Defence (DND) nor the Canadian Armed Forces are "positioned to adopt and take advantage of AI."
