INDUSTRY NEWS
In fulfilling its obligation to properly equipment the Canadian Armed Forces to do their jobs, the Government of Canada has announced that new Standard Military Pattern trucks will be delivered to the CAF over the next two years.
As part of an wider effort to modernize the Army's fleet of logistics trucks and mobile workspaces, the Government awarded two contracts to Mack Defense in July 2015. Valued at a total of $834 million, the contract will deliver more than 1500 new trucks, 300 trailers, 150 armoured protection systems and in-service support to the Canadian Army. This $834-million project remains on budget.
Deliveries of the new vehicles started in April 2018 in Edmonton. Deliveries have also started in Petawawa. Deliveries will soon begin in Montreal, Valcartier, and Gagetown. To date, 46 new logistics trucks have been delivered to the CAF.
Ensuring that members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the tools and equipment needed to do the jobs asked of them by the government is a key obligation of the Government of Canada. "The delivery of these new trucks will support our women and men – and especially our Reservists – in their operations,” confirmed Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan in today's press release.
Logistics vehicles like these trucks form the backbone of ground transportation for our Regular and Reserve forces, and can be found at the heart of nearly every Canadian Armed Forces operation. They are used to move critical equipment, personnel and supplies to wherever they need to be. Whether they are helping Canadian communities deal with severe flooding or other national disasters, or supporting NATO operations in Latvia and throughout Eastern Europe, our women and men will be able to rely on these new trucks for decades to come.
Public Services and Procurement Canada Minister Carla Qualtrough acknowledged that these "trucks are a key piece of equipment to help the Canadian Armed Forces complete both bigger missions and the everyday tasks that keep their operations running smoothly.”
The purchase of these trucks is subject to the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, which requires that for every dollar the government spends on major defence purchases, the winning contractor must put a dollar back into Canada’s economy. Through this policy, the government’s purchasing power is being used to support innovation and create well-paying middle-class jobs.
“The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy generates investments that lead to high-skilled, good-paying middle-class jobs for Canadians. We are using necessary investments in the Canadian Armed Forces and Coast Guard to drive innovation and grow businesses, both of which boost our economy as a whole," said Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada Minister Navdeep Bains.
