Canada to partner with Australia on early warning detection system in the Arctic
Feds also investing $420M into military presence, $253M into Nunavut infrastructure
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced investments into the military's infrastructure and presence in the Arctic and into Nunavut infrastructure while visiting its capital of Iqaluit on Tuesday — the first domestic trip of his leadership of Canada.
Carney announced Canada will be working alongside Australia to build an early warning radar system along the Canada-U.S. border into the Arctic. Canada is investing more than $6 billion into the project, money that was already outlined in the modernization plan for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced in 2022.
Speaking at a news conference in Iqaluit, Carney said the Arctic Over-The-Horizon Radar system, developed with Canada's "long-standing defence and security partner," Australia, will allow Canada to "detect and respond to both air and maritime threats over our Arctic, faster and from further away."
"It will, most fundamentally, keep all Canadians safe."
Carney acknowledged that the project is not new, but said the partnership with Australia will allow it to be built and deployed "as quickly as possible and as effectively as possible."
The federal government says it's also investing $420 million in new money to protect Canada's sovereignty of land, water and sea. The money will allow the Canadian Armed Forces to have a "greater, sustained and year-round" presence in the Arctic, and will expand its training and deployment in the North, according to a news release.
Carney said the announcement is about strengthening Canada's commitment to the NORAD, and recognizing that U.S. priorities, "once closely aligned with our own, are starting to shift."
"The world is changing. Our adversaries are increasingly emboldened. International norms and institutions that have kept Canada secure are now being called into question," Carney said.
"We cannot and should not look first to others to defend our nation."
Housing, energy 'the foundation' of Arctic security, premier says
Carney also announced new infrastructure investments worth $253 million in the North:
- $94 million to upgrade power plants in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and install a new diesel generator in Iqaluit.
- $73.8 million over 10 years for infrastructure to support housing across the territory.
- $65.2 million over seven years to build approximately 177 new homes and repair 401 existing homes in several communities.
- $20 million to Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation for the first phase of its planned hydroelectricity facility outside of Iqaluit.
Carney said the announcements on Tuesday "will strengthen Arctic security, will bolster our partnerships with our closest allies, will build the North's economic potential and advance reconciliation with Inuit, First Nations and Métis."
Speaking at the news conference alongside Carney, Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok said he welcomed the investments in Arctic defence and security, but said his focus is on building "strong, resilient communities" in Nunavut, and that investments in housing and energy are key.
"That's the foundation of Canada's Arctic sovereignty and security," Akeeagok said.
Akeeagok also called for further investment in "nation-building" efforts in the North, like the Iqaluit hydro project. He said such projects do not just benefit Nunavut, as the territory relies heavily on southern provinces for supplies and support.
"Unlocking Nunavut's economic potential, whether it's critical minerals, energy or fisheries, will not only benefit our territory but it will also bolster the economic opportunities right across this country," he said.
"An investment in Nunavut means an investment in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec or Ontario."
The premier also highlighted his territory's relationship with another nation whose sovereignty has been called into question by the new U.S. president — though Akeeagok did not explicitly make that connection. Rather, he said Nunavut's geographic, linguistic and cultural connections to Greenland presents an "opportunity for greater diplomatic presence in the Arctic, forging closer ties with our friends in this region."