Michael Wright, a senior commander in the Canadian Armed Forces, outlined ambitious plans for military modernization during an interview at the DEFSEC West security and aerospace conference on March 25, 2026. With $81.8 billion allocated for new spending over the next five years, the Canadian military aims to strengthen its capabilities amidst a rapidly evolving security landscape.
In his remarks, Wright underscored the urgent imperative for modernization to better position Canada to defend itself in a more competitive and contested environment. He stressed that the country will increase its defense expenditures to two percent of GDP by 2025-26. In addition, he announced his intention to ramp up that increase to five percent by 2035. This strategic turnaround marks Canada’s awareness of the increasing priority afforded to military preparedness.
Wright underscored the shift in priorities for the Canadian Armed Forces towards the Arctic. This changing environment requires greater capacity and capability to protect national security interests in the region. Army modernization is about providing our soldiers with every advantage they need in order to be successful. It zeroes in on providing the training, enabling capabilities and force structure they require to dominate on the battlefields of today and tomorrow.
At the same time, the Canadian Armed Forces are seeking to maintain the momentum of nearly 50 major capital projects to complement their operational effectiveness. Included in these initiatives are plans to fund more long-range precision strike systems and a more lethal ground-based air defense system. These improvements will especially help keep vital infrastructure – including that in Arctic domains where security threats are on the rise – protected.
Wright recognized the case for a smarter, softer, more restrained investment in military power. He described it as a tension between long-term capacity building and short-term deliverables. These are the only capabilities we can definitively promise to the next 2-3 years. He highlighted the essential part played by human resources in these endeavors. People are the key. We need to infuse more soldiers into the force, and we need to make sure they get the training they need.
Wright re-asserted that military operations in the North would not be carried out in a vacuum. We are serious and determined to continue to invest and ensure our North is where we demonstrated our national sovereignty! The Canadian Armed Forces will not be the sole aspect of our commitment in that country,” he said. He underlined the importance of coordination between federal agencies and local communities to make sure defense is a part of every strategy.
When asked to respond to some of those criticisms on financial stewardship, Wright said, “I would certainly not call it a spending spree. First, he reiterated the need to be prudent stewards of our resource, promising that each dollar spent by the Canadian Army goes towards ensuring our soldiers are ready.
