Canada Unveils $6.6B Domestic Defence Strategy

OTTAWA - The Canadian Liberal government unveiled details of a new $6.6 billion strategy on February 15, 2026, aimed at bolstering the domestic defence industry and reducing the country's dependence on U.S. military equipment. The announcement, originally scheduled for the previous week, was postponed after Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled travel plans in response to a mass shooting in British Columbia, with the formal release now set for later in the week.

The strategy focuses on integrating small and medium-sized Canadian businesses into the defence sector by shifting procurement priorities toward domestically produced gear. Officials described it as a comprehensive overhaul designed to foster innovation and economic growth within Canada. Central to the plan is a restructuring of the government's industrial and technological benefits policy, which evaluates defence contractors based on their investments in the Canadian economy, such as job creation and technology transfers. Under the revised framework, firms bidding on contracts will be scored more heavily on contributions that benefit local industries and communities.

Government documents project that the initiative will...