Thirty Percent of Defence Department Procurement Positions Vacant: Internal Report

The facade of the headquarters of the Department of National Defence is pictured in Ottawa, on April 3, 2013. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

An internal Defence Department report has found that a shortage of procurement officials is hindering efforts to buy much-needed equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Recently published online, the report appears to offer an explanation for some of the delays that have plagued Canada’s efforts to purchase new warships, aircraft and other military gear.

The report says the lack of trained procurement experts represents a “key risk” for the department, with 30 percent of such positions vacant at the end of May 2022.

It goes on to blame the shortage on competition with the private sector for experienced acquisition experts, adding the vacancies are threatening the government’s plan to invest billions of dollars into the military in the coming years.

The report is the latest to raise concerns about a shortage of procurement officials within the Defence Department and military amid delays and challenges in the delivery of new equipment.

Those delays have contributed to billions of dollars in added costs while forcing the military to continue using obsolete equipment or retire gear before replacements are ready.