OROMOCTO (GNB) – The provincial government released Defence Ready: New Brunswick’s Defence Growth Framework today at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, outlining how the province will build on its strengths and position itself to deliver for Canada as the country invests in modernizing its armed forces and strengthening its defence industry.
“New Brunswick is where Canada’s military is made. We’ve always played a big role in Canada’s defence, and we’re ready to play a bigger one,” said Premier Susan Holt. “As Canada invests in its defence capabilities, we have an opportunity to build more of what our country needs right here at home. New Brunswick has the expertise, businesses and infrastructure to help make that happen.”
Defence is a priority in the government’s Building a Competitive and Resilient New Brunswick economic development strategy, released in April. Growing this sector is meant to attract investment, create good jobs and support the goal of growing the provincial economy by 10 per cent by 2030.
Holt said New Brunswick has important advantages to build on, including Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity, two deepwater, ice-free ports, industrial land, transportation networks and a strong critical minerals base.
“When you bring together our history in defence, our expertise in training and cybersecurity, our advanced manufacturing capabilities and our strategic infrastructure, New Brunswick is well positioned to deliver for Canada,” said Holt. “We want to see more businesses seize these opportunities, create good jobs and help build Canada’s defence capabilities right here in New Brunswick.”
The framework identifies four strategic pillars to guide the government’s approach:
Industry and investment: build on strengths in land systems, digital and cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
Technology and innovation: establish New Brunswick as a national hub for defence innovation.
Infrastructure and resources: develop New Brunswick’s ports and critical minerals to support Canada’s security needs.
Base and community growth: grow with Canadian Forces Base Gagetown and support those who serve and have served.
“Defence Ready gives us a foundation to bring the right partners together and turn the opportunities in Canada’s defence sector into real growth here at home,” said Post-Secondary Education and Training Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours, who is also minister responsible for military affairs. “It will take collaboration across government, First Nations, industry, our post-secondary and research institutions and communities to build the capabilities Canada needs and ensure New Brunswick is ready to deliver.”
The government will continue working with the New Brunswick defence task force and its partners to advance the framework’s priorities and identify opportunities to grow the sector.
“There is real momentum building in the defence sector, both here in New Brunswick and across Canada. It’s exciting to see government taking action on its commitment to growing the industry,” said Sean Adams, chief operating officer of Lastwall, a Fredericton-based company. “This framework is a great step toward creating more opportunities for New Brunswick companies, helping them grow their capabilities and become an even bigger part of Canada’s defence industry.”
Noah Note: I was going to make a dedicated post for this release, but I have elected to just do a note, primarily because there just isnt much to go off of here. The framework in itself is a 13 page PDF, not a real PDF mind you but a slideshow. It has no timeline. No dollar figures, and very vague promises.
The framework is built around four pillars, industry and investment, technology and innovation, infrastructure and resources, and base and community growth. All four of these sit of a foundation of skilled workers.
The province says it will measure progress by defence-related GDP and employment in defence-related industries, but the document doesn't attach a target to either. At the presser Premier Holt said the goal is to take the sector from $762 million in GDP today to $1 billion, but that figure is lacking in the framework itself.
New Brunswick's own ask is to "capture a fair share" of existing spending. What is fair in this regard is not known nor is it defined, though I will say that there is a precedent that is being slowly established for provinced to negotiate their own deals with the Feds when it comes to defence spending, including specific promises and invetsments.
The framework pitches Gagetown as an Army testbed for dual-use firms, similar to what we are seeing with Suffield discussions. It also pitches Belledune for a potential role in northern operations, one of several East Coast ports and yards looking to get proper establishment as defence facilities. Bull Arm, Newdock, Argentia, Sydney. All running the same Northern pitch right now.
It also leans on the province's tungsten, manganese and indium deposits, with antimony and copper floated as ammunition inputs. Ammunition is the one area where the province only commits to exploring the opportunity. Of course Belledune is currently in the middle of a multibillion-dollar legal dispute over a canceled ammunition facility at the Port.
Also in the Framework are a New Brunswick Defence Taskforce, a broader engagement process, and a new Growth Office to coordinate it all. There's no membership and no timeline, and the framework says it will be reviewed and refined as priorities change.
Overall, lacking, and I want to say for a framework it's fine, but even as a framework it is lacking and with little substance. There is barely any commitence, little plan, and no sense of when things come together. It is just feeling vwry basic and not up to the strategies we're seeing in other provinces like British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta.
I want to be nicer, a lot nicer, but right now there just isn't too much to go off of here.
Yep, it's pretty thin. But you are also comparing the efforts of a government that represents a fraction of the people in the largest city in either of your other examples. There is a vast difference in the resources and manpower NB has to throw at something like this. I do hope it does get fleshed out with more detail over time, but I'm not going to hold them to the same expectations as I have for Ontario or BC. At least not right out of the gate. Cudoes for jumping while the fire is hot.