RC125 JulyAug 2026 - Magazine - Page 10
DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE
$290-BILLION
PIVOT
Building Canada’s
defence infrastructure
by John Tenpenny
ATIONAL DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE is the invisible backbone of a secure society, but the challenges of
modernizing and expanding these systems across
a vast, geographically diverse nation have never
been more complex. As Canada moves toward
the two per cent NATO spending benchmark, a
projected $290 billion in capital investment is poised to
transform the national defence landscape. This massive
surge marks a pivotal moment for the infrastructure sector
and construction industry.
Navigating this generational shift requires a complete
rethinking of traditional execution models. From managing the stark environmental realities of the Far North to
addressing nationwide skilled labor shortages and rigid security clearance frameworks, the defence sector is moving
toward a highly integrated, deeply collaborative approach.
The critical strategies required to navigate this landscape were the central focus of a recent webinar hosted
by ReNew Canada, sponsored by PCL Construction. A
panel of experts explored how early contractor alignment,
planning redundancy, and procurement innovation are
rewriting the blueprint for building the critical infrastructure that safeguards the nation.
N
THE PANEL:
DAVID HUDOCK,
National Director, Defence and Federal
Government Relations, PCL Construction
PETER CRAIN,
Principal, Colliers
Project Leaders
JEFF HAMILTON,
Director, Senior Advisor for
Defence and Security, EY
10—RENEW CANADA – JULY/AUGUST 2026
Recently, Canada’s Department of National Defence, awarded a contract for Stage 1 of
its the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar Program, a key NORAD modernization initiative
that will advance the renewal of Canada’s North Warning System.
