Defence Policy

Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada's Defence

Earlier this year, National Defence announced a renewed vision for Canada's defence: Our North, Strong and Free.
This policy will continue to strengthen the defence of Canada by investing in our people, our capabilities, and our capacity at home and abroad.
For example, we will increase our defence spending by $8.1 billion over the next five years, starting in 2024-25, and $73 billion over the next twenty years.
As we implement the policy through further investments, Canada is committed to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence by 2032.
This represents a credible, responsible, and achievable target date, which will allow Canada to ramp up its spending and procurement capacity on a realistic timeline.
We are making the investments necessary to protect Canadians, defend our North, and support our Allies in an increasingly unpredictable and interconnected world.

If pressed on specific initiatives:

This policy is focused on credible deterrence at home and in North America, with a particular emphasis on the Arctic.
One example is the establishment of Northern Operational Support Hubs, which will enable a greater year-round military presence and responsiveness across the Arctic and the North.
It also includes important initiatives that will support our military members.
For example, we will establish a Canadian Armed Forces Housing Strategy to rehabilitate existing housing and build new housing.
We will also provide Canadian Armed Forces members with greater access to affordable childcare at bases.
We will further invest in current and new infrastructure, and develop sustained, strategic partnerships when working with industry, innovators, and researchers to build an effective defence industrial base.
In addition to many new initiatives, we continue to build a more inclusive and supportive force by pursuing the proposed legislative changes outlined in Bill C-66 and implementing 206 external recommendations.
Ultimately, the policy laid out in Our North, Strong and Free will help maintain the security and prosperity that Canadians have long enjoyed, in addition to protecting and promoting Canadian interests around the world.

Our North, Strong and Free is laid out in four sections:

Section I assesses the current geopolitical context and the implications for Canadian interests;
Section II articulates an updated vision for our military, focused on ensuring the CAF is ready, resilient, and relevant in the new security environment; and
Section III and IV outline our plan to deliver on this vision, focused on strengthening the foundations of our military, modernizing existing capabilities and acquiring new ones, improving our capacity to implement through building civilian capacity, reforming procurement, digitalizing the military, leveraging innovations, and developing a stronger relationship with Canada's defence industrial base.

The policy features six major themes:

Investments:

Review Cycle:

Defence will undertake strategic policy reviews every four years, as part of an integrated update to Canada's National Security Strategy.
This deliberate approach will lay the foundations for sustainable, long-term success and continued growth in our defence capabilities.

Responsible Principals: Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy), Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance)

August 26, 2024