Slow Procurement Keeps Pushing Defence Spending Down the Line, PBO Report Finds

The parliamentary budget officer says the Defence Department is planning unprecedented capital spending in the coming years, raising concerns about the effect of inflation. In a new report, Yves Giroux assessed 20 years of planned capital spending under Canada’s 2017 defence policy, billed “Strong, Secure, Engaged.” He found planned spending is $51.5 billion more than it was two years ago, mostly because of Norad modernization and new procurements. Capital spending is set to be at least $10 billion a year, hitting a peak in the 2027-28 fiscal year at $18 billion. Delays in military procurements have meant the department spent almost $12 billion less than it planned since 2017....