Canada weighs $3B-4B deal for 50 De Havilland water bombers amid wildfire crisis
Leaked documents suggest a joint purchase with the European Investment Bank, but experts question whether aircraft alone can solve Canada's growing fire problem.
What to know
- Leaked documents suggest Canada and the European Investment Bank are negotiating a joint purchase of 50 De Havilland water bombers at a cost of $3 billion to $4 billion, with an announcement expected at an EU-Canada summit this week.
- Canada has not purchased new water bombers in over a decade despite rising wildfire intensity; production delays mean new aircraft won't be operational for years.
- Experts question whether a 50-plane fleet is the right solution, raising concerns about effectiveness, wait times, costs, and provincial vs. federal control.
- In 2026, Canadian firefighting resources reached maximum capacity on 23 separate days, requiring international assistance, highlighting the urgency but also complexity of the wildfire crisis.
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Aerospace company lobbying for fleet purchaseNeil Sweeney Vice president of corporate affairs, De HavillandEuropean Investment Bank Potential joint purchaserCanadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre Resource coordinator
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Experts question whether water bombers are the right wildfire solution
Aviation and wildfire experts quoted in The Narwhal express concerns about the effectiveness, costs, and necessity of a 50-plane fleet. Some argue funds should be spent on prevention or a variety of aircraft types instead. Key unknowns remain about ownership (provincial vs. federal control) and production timelines.
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As De Havilland pushes Canada to buy a national fleet, experts question whether water bombers are the right answer to our country's worsening wildfire crisis https:// thenarwhal.ca/canada-wildfires -de-havilland-water-bomber/
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Politico obtains leaked documents showing Canada-EIB joint purchase deal
American journalism organization Politico obtains confidential documents suggesting Canada has negotiated a deal with the European Investment Bank to jointly purchase 50 water bombers, with announcement expected at the EU-Canada summit in Montreal this week.
“We don't have enough aircraft for the fires of today. We certainly don't have enough aircraft for the fires of tomorrow.”
— Neil Sweeney, De Havilland VP of corporate affairs · source -
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The iconic water bomber was invented in Canada and transformed the way wildfires are fought. Now, a Calgary-based aerospace company wants to sell 50 new water bombers to the federal government, but experts question whether it’s the right answer to Canada’s worsening wildfire crisis.
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De Havilland launches multi-month campaign for 50-plane fleet purchase — The Calgary-based aerospace company begins lobbying the federal government and urging Canadians to contact their MPs, running full-page ads stating 'Forest fires won't wait' and 'It's time for a national water bomber fleet.'
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Canada exhausts all available firefighting resources on 23 separate days — During the 2026 wildfire season, there were 23 days when fires were so significant that firefighters and equipment in every jurisdiction across Canada were maxed out, requiring international assistance.