Government of Canada announces contract to deliver new multi-role aircraft for Royal Canadian Air Force 

Remarks by the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)

Mississauga, Ontario, December 12, 2025 

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Hello, everyone, and thank you for being here today.

Thank you for joining us for this important announcement.

I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and we thank them for their stewardship of this land.

It is a pleasure to be here today in a facility that clearly reflects Bombardier’s engineering and technical excellence.

Thank you for welcoming us.

For more than 80 years, Bombardier has been a proudly Canadian enterprise, from its early innovations to its position today as a global aerospace leader.

With operations in both Quebec and Ontario, and a supply chain that stretches across the country, Bombardier supports thousands of skilled workers and helps anchor a national aerospace ecosystem.

Supporting Canadian companies and Canadian workers is a priority for this government, and Bombardier’s success is a clear example of why that commitment matters.

Canada is one of only a handful of countries in the world capable of designing, building and certifying a clean-sheet transport category aircraft. That is an extraordinary national capability.

It speaks to our engineering strength, our industrial capacity and the skill of Canadian workers.

When you walk through this Bombardier facility, you see that capability in action. It is part of who we are as a country, and it is something we should all be very proud of.

Around the world, nearly 2 dozen countries operate Bombardier aircraft as state platforms in government, military and special-mission roles.

From head-of-state transport to surveillance, search and rescue, maritime patrol and airborne early warning, Bombardier airframes are already trusted by governments on every continent.

That global confidence speaks to the quality of Canadian aerospace and to the strength of the aircraft built here.

We are operating in a rapidly changing global security and trade environment.

Challenges that once felt distant are now shaping the world more directly, and Canada and its partners are facing pressures not seen in decades.

That is why this government is rebuilding, rearming and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces so our military remains ready and equipped to defend Canada at home and abroad.

My priority as Secretary of State for Defence Procurement is ensuring the women and men who serve have dependable, modern equipment delivered when it is needed.

With the creation of the new Defence Investment Agency, we are transforming how Canada procures military capabilities. The Agency is accelerating procurements, strengthening sovereignty and supporting a competitive Canadian defence and security industry.

A strong defence sector is vital to the economy not only in this region but across the country.

From aerospace and shipbuilding to advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies, Canadian industry is essential to building a more resilient nation and creating good jobs.

Our procurement approach reflects this by expanding opportunities for Canadian workers, reducing unnecessary overhead and favouring ready-made, Canadian solutions whenever possible.

Today is a demonstration of that approach in action. I am pleased to announce that the Defence Investment Agency, on behalf of the Department of National Defence, has awarded a contract to Bombardier for 6 Global 6500 aircraft.

The value of the contract is estimated at $753 million, with the first delivery expected in 2027.

These aircraft will replace Canada’s Challenger fleet. The contract includes training for aircrew and maintenance personnel, as well as the work needed to prepare the aircraft for military service. This contract alone will create hundreds of good-paying jobs directly and indirectly.

These made-in-Canada aircraft will support emergency medical evacuations, disaster response, humanitarian and diplomatic missions and the transport of senior government leadership.

This investment reinforces our government’s commitment to prioritizing Canadian industry.

Choosing a Canadian-built fleet does more than strengthen our economy.

When these aircraft carry the Prime Minister or Governor General, or participate in missions overseas, they also showcase the quality, innovation and craftsmanship of Canadian aerospace to the world.

I am honoured to be here in this state-of-the-art facility, where Canadian expertise is producing the aircraft that will serve our Armed Forces for decades to come.

Today’s announcement reflects a new approach that delivers results for Canadians and equips the military with the capabilities it needs.

It shows how the Defence Investment Agency is acting decisively to meet urgent requirements while supporting Canadian innovation and creating sustainable jobs here at home.

Thank you.

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