Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
New Brunswick sets plan to expand its role in Canada’s defence sector
Premier Susan Holt unveiled a plan to grow New Brunswick’s defence industry at CFB Gagetown on Monday.
The province wants to help meet Canada’s plans to modernize its armed forces while creating jobs and growing its economy.
The strategy sets a target of raising the defence sector’s contribution to provincial GDP from $762 million to $1 billion, and aims for 10 per cent overall economic growth by 2030.
New Brunswick says it has the country’s second-highest military employment per person and Eastern Canada’s largest military training facility.
The plan focuses on industry, technology, infrastructure and community growth, including areas such as land systems, advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity.
Holt said supporting growth at CFB Gagetown is a priority, as more military personnel and civilians are expected in Oromocto.
The province will continue working with a task force to identify opportunities and connect companies with the wider defence sector.
New Brunswick has released a strategy to expand its role in Canada’s defence sector.
Premier Susan Holt announced the Defence Ready framework at CFB Gagetown on Monday.
The province aims to increase defence-sector GDP from $762 million to $1 billion.
The strategy has four pillars: industry and investment; technology and innovation; infrastructure and resources; and base and community growth.
Holt said the plan is intended to support job creation and help grow the provincial economy by 10 per cent by 2030.
- Who
- New Brunswick’s provincial government, led by Premier Susan Holt.
- What
- The province released Defence Ready: New Brunswick’s Defence Growth Framework to expand its role in Canada’s defence sector.
- When
- Monday, November 2, 2026.
- Where
- CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick.
- Why
- The province aims to grow the defence sector, create jobs and support its economic growth targets.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Holt said the province announced investment in wastewater treatment infrastructure for Oromocto.
Holt released the Defence Ready framework at CFB Gagetown.
- Defence-sector GDP target
- Increase from $762 million to $1 billion
- Economic growth target
- 10 per cent by 2030
- Framework pillars
- Four
- Military employment
- New Brunswick has the second-highest military employment per capita in Canada
- Training facility
- The province has Eastern Canada’s largest military training facility
What people are saying
There are two targets attached to this strategy: one is growing our GDP from the sector, you heard the minister mention it’s $762 million today. We want to get that up to a billion dollars,
We know what we do really well: land systems, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity. We know that we have assets like our minerals and our ports that are critical,
Bring together stakeholders to help identify opportunities, but also to help plug companies in to the larger defence framework,