Department of Finance Canada highlights Spring Economic Update proposals for a standalone Defence Investment Agency and CAD 2 billion for Operation UNIFIER

Department of Finance Canada published a news release highlighting Spring Economic Update 2026 defence measures, centred on a proposal to provide CAD 103.8 million over five years from 2026-27 and CAD 22.3 million ongoing to establish and operate the Defence Investment Agency as a standalone entity, and CAD 2.0 billion over three years on a cash basis from 2026-27 for Operation UNIFIER. The release frames these measures alongside NATO's March 2026 confirmation that Canada had reached defence spending equal to 2 per cent of gross domestic product, with more than CAD 63 billion spent in 2025-26. The government intends to introduce enabling legislation to establish the Defence Investment Agency and legislative amendments to give it expanded authorities. Positioned at the centre of the Defence Industrial Strategy launched in February, the agency is intended to accelerate defence procurement and use it to strengthen Canada's defence industrial base. Operation UNIFIER, launched in 2014, has trained more than 47,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The release also linked defence capability to Team Canada Strong, which would invest roughly CAD 6 billion to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 Red Seal trades workers, including new skilled-trades pathways through the Primary Reserves and the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers programs.