OTTAWA – The federal government is buying 30,000 new modular assault rifles for the Canadian Army from Colt Canada in a $307 million procurement deal.
That sum covers just the first three years of the contract, after which the federal government has the option of acquiring another 35,000 rifles.
The new rifles will replace the aging C7 and C8 rifles, which have been in use now for more than three decades.
Stephen Fuhr, secretary of state for defence procurement, says the order will give the army the equipment it needs at a brisk pace.
Fuhr says that by employing special procurement procedures and managing the contract through the new Defence Investment Agency, the government may have accelerated the purchase by up to two years.
This contract is just the latest development in the federal government’s defence spending spree and follows recent announcements of $200 million for a dedicated space launch pad and $1.4 billion for the domestic munitions industry.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2026.
