YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday that his government will invest an additional 32 billion Canadian dollars (US$24 billion) in military forward operating locations across the North as part of a sweeping effort to assert sovereignty over the increasingly contested Arctic region.
The prime minister detailed the spending during a visit to Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, before departing for Norway to observe a NATO exercise. The announcement includes 2.7 billion Canadian dollars (US$1.9 billion) for four new remote operating hubs designed to enable rapid deployment in the Far North.
“In this new era, we cannot rely on other nations for our security and prosperity,” Carney said. “Canada must be able to defend its territory, its people, and its interests in the Arctic.”
The investment will establish forward operating locations in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Iqaluit, and Goose Bay. Carney also announced funding for road and port projects, including money for the Mackenzie Valley Highway, which will connect Yellowknife and Inuvik.
The prime minister framed the spending as a necessary response to evolving geopolitical pressures. “Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put the Arctic at the heart of the debate over global trade and security,” he said.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent statements suggesting American interest in Greenland, the Inuit self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark, and comments about making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Carney did not directly address Trump’s remarks but emphasized Canada’s independent security requirements.
The Arctic region is experiencing rapid environmental changes, with melting sea ice opening new shipping routes and access to natural resources. These shifts have intensified interest from multiple nations, including Russia and China, in the strategically vital area.
The Canadian government’s spending plan represents one of the largest military infrastructure investments in the Arctic in decades, signaling a significant shift toward greater self-reliance in the region’s defense and economic development.