National Defence Grappling With New Delay in $60B Warship Project

The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Toronto passes under the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge as it returns to Halifax on Dec. 23, 2020 after completing a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press

OTTAWA—The Department of National Defence says the first of 15 new warships being built for the Royal Canadian Navy will be delivered years later than expected as officials working on the $60-billion project grapple with unexpected design and construction challenges.

The delay means Canada will need to spend more on its 12 aging Halifax-class frigates to keep them floating longer, and is sure to set off a fresh wave of debate and lobbying around what amounts to the largest military procurement in Canadian history.