Canada invests IDR 10.5 trillion to strengthen maritime security in the Arctic

JAKARTA - The Canadian government is investing 816 million Canadian dollars (around Rp10.5 trillion) in maritime security enhancement projects focused on the Arctic over the next seven years, according to a statement from the Canadian Coast Guard.

"The Minister of National Defense, the Honorable David J. McGuinty, announced an initial investment of 816 million Canadian dollars over seven years to strengthen maritime security and expand the role of the Canadian Coast Guard in monitoring Canadian waters," the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The major investments include the establishment of a Maritime Domain Awareness Centre in Nunavut to collect and analyse maritime intelligence, and the procurement of new surveillance equipment for helicopters operating across Canada including the Arctic region.

The investment was also used to build four new long-range maritime radar sites in the Arctic at strategic points along the Northwest Passage and the Hudson Strait.

"The next projects include air, surface, and underwater buyers with short to medium range cruising power to expand the operational range of the Coast Guard both from land and sea," the statement added.

"Canada must be able to monitor and respond to all activities in its waters. With the fleet and operational expertise it has, the Canadian Coast Guard is in the right position to support national maritime security priorities across the country," the statement continued.

In 2024, Ottawa released an update to its defense policy that stressed the most urgent task was strengthening Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.

In December of the same year, the government also introduced a new Arctic Foreign Policy, saying the region was no longer a low-tension status due to alleged "disturbing" activities by Russia and China.

The Canadian government then announced plans to purchase a new fleet consisting of 12 submarines for patrolling waters with a focus on prevention in the Arctic region, as well as selecting two locations for Arctic over-the-horizon radars.

Prime Minister Mark Carney on March 27 also promised Canada would have the largest number of icebreakers in the world after its shipbuilding program was completed.