Today’s announcement marks a major win for Canada’s security and an enormous opportunity for Nova Scotia.
The federal government has selected ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as the winning bidder for Canada’s new fleet of patrol submarines. Under the leadership of Premier Tim Houston, our PC government has been working for months to ensure Nova Scotia is ready to maximize the economic benefits of this historic investment.
This project is about much more than replacing Canada’s submarine fleet. It represents billions of dollars in economic activity, thousands of good-paying jobs, and decades of opportunity for Nova Scotians.
Halifax will play a central role in supporting Canada’s new submarine fleet, with six submarines to be maintained and serviced here over their operational lifespan. That means new opportunities for skilled tradespeople, engineers, manufacturers, technology companies, researchers, and local businesses across our province.
Nova Scotia already has the foundation to succeed. We are home to Canada’s largest naval base, a world-class shipbuilding industry, internationally recognized ocean technology companies, and a growing defence innovation sector. Our government has worked proactively with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to ensure Nova Scotia is positioned to deliver from Day 1.
This announcement reinforces what Nova Scotians already know: our province has the people, the expertise and the industrial capacity to help build Canada’s future while creating lasting prosperity here at home.
Below is Premier Tim Houston’s full statement on today’s announcement.
Premier Tim Houston’s Statement
Today is a big day for Canada’s security and defence. It’s also a big day for Nova Scotia.
The federal government has announced the winning bid for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, an investment that will shape our country’s defence capabilities for decades. Twelve new submarines will replace Canada’s aging fleet, with the first delivered in the mid-2030s.
Canada has chosen to partner with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Nova Scotia is already at the partnership table. We have been meeting with the company for months to build the best understanding of how to maximize this opportunity for Nova Scotians.
This is about more than submarines; this is an economic game-changer. And Nova Scotia is ready.
We are aligning our workforce, infrastructure, supply chains and innovation ecosystem so we can deliver alongside Canada’s new defence partner from Day 1.
Day 1 is today.
Our province will play a central role, alongside British Columbia, to support these submarines over their full lifespan. Six submarines will be maintained and serviced in Halifax. This will drive billions of dollars of investment into our region, create new career paths for Nova Scotians looking for steady work, and drive strong demand for domestic supply chains.
We’re talking about thousands of good jobs in the skilled trades, engineering, manufacturing, and digital and defence innovation. This is the kind of work people can build a future on, right here at home.
Projects like this reinforce Nova Scotia’s position as a centre of excellence in naval shipbuilding and sustainment, ocean technology, defence innovation, and will drive business across our province and beyond, forging new partnerships and creating economic benefits for years to come.
I’d like to congratulate Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems on being selected for this important project. TKMS brings proven expertise and a strong reputation in submarine design and quality. Your focus on connection with NATO allies and strengthening collective defence is important in today’s world and aligns well with Nova Scotia’s strengths. We look forward to working with you and building a strong partnership that lasts long into the future.
I also want to thank the federal government for recognizing what Nova Scotia brings to the table. We have the people, the infrastructure and the experience. This isn’t an emerging sector for us – it’s a proven one.
We’re home to Canada’s largest naval base and a strong shipbuilding sector. In fact, billions of federal dollars are already coming to Nova Scotia to build the next generation of naval and air fleets, modernize critical infrastructure and expand training and operational capacity. We also host the North American headquarters for NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
Defence capability isn’t something you can create overnight. It depends on skilled people, purpose-built infrastructure, industrial capacity and leading-edge research and development hubs — and Nova Scotia has spent generations building all of these.
Nova Scotia has a proud history of supporting Canada’s defence both at home and abroad. That hasn’t changed.
When Canada calls, Nova Scotia delivers.