Ottawa opens applications to host proposed international defence bank
OTTAWA, Ontario — Canadian municipalities now have a formal route to apply for the headquarters of the proposed Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, with the federal government setting a December 3, 2026 deadline for submissions.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the national selection process on November 13. According to the Department of Finance, qualified municipalities must submit their application packages by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on December 3 and follow the criteria in the federal call for proposals.
How the headquarters selection works
The review will be led by the Defence Investment Agency’s chief executive, Doug Guzman, with an advisory panel reviewing proposals and producing a shortlist for the finance minister and prime minister. The selected city will host the planned bank’s global headquarters; no winning municipality has yet been named.
The bank is being developed with international partners to improve financing for defence production and secure supply chains. The government expects the institution to become operational in 2027, subject to the steps required to establish it.
Vancouver has already received public backing as a contender from British Columbia’s premier-designate, but that support is separate from the federal selection decision. The current announcement establishes the competition and its application deadline, not a headquarters award.