Carney launches new Defence Investment Agency for the CAF

Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a new Defence Investment Agency to overhaul and streamline Canada's defence procurement.

Currently, Canada's defence procurement is spread across several departments, making it slow to consult industry and too complicated to respond to rapidly evolving military needs. This results in delays, leaving the Canadian Armed Forces waiting years, sometimes decades, for critical equipment.

This new agency will build domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and create new careers.

First, the Defence Investment Agency will consolidate procurement processes by removing duplicative approvals and red tape, accelerating defence procurement, and providing industry with greater clarity and certainty. With a centralized process of review and approval.

Second, the agency will tie procurement to domestic industrial benefits – creating new careers, growing the economy, and supercharging innovation in aerospace, shipbuilding, and advanced manufacturing.

Third, the agency will ensure earlier engagement between the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada's defence industry, so the military can underscore operational needs, and industry can provide realistic assessments of timelines, costs, and technological options.

Finally, the agency will align Canada more closely with partners such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, who already have dedicated procurement bodies, making joint defence purchases and partnerships easier and more efficient.

Carney announced the appointment of Doug Guzman as Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Investment Agency.