Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, announced Iqaluit, Inuvik, and Yellowknife as Northern Operational Support Hub locations. These will increase the Canadian Armed Forces' presence and responsiveness across the Arctic and the North.
As announced in Our North, Strong and Free, the renewed vision for defence, Canada will be investing $2.67 billion over 20 years to establish a network of Northern Operational Support Hubs. These hubs, consisting of airstrips, logistics facilities, and equipment, will enable the Canadian Armed Forces to better assert Canadian sovereignty and support greater year-round presence.
These hubs will function as a dispersed network of logistical stations, which will extend the Canadian Armed Forces' operational reach, reduce logistical constraints, and enhance support for military operations in the Arctic.
This initiative represents a new way of approaching defence and sustainment in the Arctic and the North and will help keep Canadians safe and secure in the face of dramatic changes in our physical and security environment.
The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces and other federal partners are actively working to identify other hub locations and will continue to work closely with the territorial governments, and local Northern and Indigenous partners through deliberate, dedicated engagements.
