October 4, 2022 | Local, Naval
Ottawa, Ontario - Reducing carbon emissions is one of the most important ways Canada and Canadians can fight against climate change. In line with the Government of Canada's 2030 and 2050 commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is pursuing tangible decarbonization efforts. Today, CCG announced important steps in reducing its emission output: the start of a biodiesel testing project and the launch of the next phase in the construction of the Government of Canada's first hybrid electric vessel.
Earlier this month, following the award of a contract to procure biodiesel from Windsor, Ontario based Sterling Fuels, CCG broke historic ground for the Government of Canada, becoming the first Government agency to trial a 20% biodiesel blend in one of its vessels, the CCGS Caribou Isle. Over the next months, various biodiesel ratios will be tested in order to enable the CCG to assess operational feasibility and technological compatibility of higher blend rates across various operational settings. This biodiesel test project will assist in advancing solutions to decrease emissions in the immediate term.
In addition to testing greener fuels, the CCG is preparing for construction of a new hybrid electric Near-Shore Fishery Research Vessel (NSFRV) to reduces consumption of diesel. Following the design and engineering work for a vessel class fitted with a battery energy storage system, the CCG has issued a request for proposal to Canadian shipbuilders to start construction of one vessel.
The successful bidder will incorporate Canadian innovative green technologies in the construction of the vessel. These include the overall design by British Columbia vessel designer Robert Allan Ltd, a propulsion and battery system by Prince Edward Island engineering firm Aspin Kemp and Associates, and deck equipment systems engineering by Nova Scotia's Hawboldt Industries Ltd.
Canadian shipbuilders are welcome to learn more about this opportunity, by visiting the NSFRV Build Request for Proposal on CanadaBuys.
Through these two important projects, the CCG is taking a major step in the overall objective of lowering our fleet's carbon emissions. Over time, the CCG looks forward to continuing this important work in partnership with leading Canadian green industries.
November 23, 2024 | Local, Aerospace
The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, has announced that Canada’s donation of a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) has arrived in Ukraine.
September 24, 2020 | Local, Security, Other Defence
David Pugliese The project to purchase pistols to replace the Canadian military's Second World War-era handguns is once again underway and National Defence hopes to have the new weapons by the summer of 2022. The project had been stalled for years after small arms firms rejected in 2011 the federal government requirement that the guns be built at Colt Canada in Kitchener, Ont. In addition, the companies balked at the stipulation they had to turn over their proprietary firearms information to Colt, a firm that some saw as a competitor. But with small arms companies reluctant to bid on the Canadian pistol project, the federal government has had no choice but to drop those requirements and have an open competition. A request for bids will now be issued in early 2021, DND spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande confirmed to this newspaper. She said a “minimum of 9,000” handguns will be purchased. “These are mainly intended for the Canadian Army, and will be issued as required,” she added. The department hopes to have a contract in place by the summer of 2021, with initial deliveries by the summer of 2022, she added. The DND declined to discuss the amount of money that taxpayers will spend on the project. The new handguns will replace the Second World War-era Browning Hi-Power pistols used by the Canadian Forces. The replacement program for the 9mm Browning Hi-Power pistols has been on the books for years. In the fall of 2011, the DND abruptly cancelled plans for the purchase of 10,000 new pistols. The decision to shut the process down came after international firearms companies balked at the stipulation the firms turn over their confidential technical data to Colt Canada so the guns could be manufactured in Canada. Colt is the country's Small Arms Strategic Source and Centre of Excellence. The DND was told at the time by industry representatives that it didn't make economic sense to have Colt manufacture the guns in Canada or to have parts shipped to Colt so the guns could be assembled in Canada. The handgun replacement project has been seen as an example of a highly dysfunctional military procurement system. At one point the DND tried to prevent small arms companies from talking to journalists about the bungled procurement but the department's decree was largely ignored. Under the Munitions Supply Program sole source deals have been directed to Colt Canada to maintain a small arms expertise in the country. In late January Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced the purchase of more than 3,600 new C6AI FLEX General Purpose Machine Guns from the company. The $96-million order was a follow-on deal to the 2017 contract for 1,148 of the same machine guns. Some spare parts are included along with cleaning kits and carrying slings in the purchase. Critics pointed out that the cost of each gun worked out to around $27,000, at least twice the amount that other militaries are spending. In February and April two other contracts were directed to Colt to produce a semi-automatic rifle in 7.62 calibre to be used by Canadian Forces sniper teams as an auxiliary weapon. Lamirande said in 2018 changes were made to improve the Munitions Supply Program. Under those changes, new business was no longer automatically given to members of the supply program. Instead a thorough analysis is to be done to decide whether it is better to open a project up to competition or sole source the deal to firms in the Munitions Supply Program. “Factors that are considered include performance, value for money, flexibility, innovation potential, and socio-economic benefits,” Lamirande explained. “We also include considerations for current availability within timeframes and the long term sustainability of the solution.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/project-to-buy-new-pistols-for-canadian-forces-is-once-again-underway
April 6, 2021 | Local, Aerospace
Public Services and Procurement Canada on April 1 released a list of qualified suppliers to participate in the next phases of the RCAF’s Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project, and only Airbus Defence and Space's A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport made the cut.