As Canadian politicians talk more military spending, how could that benefit London, Ont.?

Andrew Lupton · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

For 19 years, Robin Claessens has worked astatine General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS) successful London, Ont., successful a good-paying union job she'd like to support until the extremity of her moving career.

She started arsenic a creator earlier moving connected to an assembly position, aboriginal transitioning into her existent occupation arsenic a national representative. 

The company, which has contracts to nutrient light-armoured vehicles for the Canadian subject and different clients, has been bully to her, but Claessens fears the enactment could taper disconnected by adjacent year. 

"We spot a lull successful our accumulation docket for 2026," she said. "So we're hoping the national authorities volition measurement up and bid much Canadian vehicles from america to support everybody employed."

The imaginable lull that concerns Claessens is the company's existent declaration to physique 360 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) for the Canadian Armed Forces. It's expected to scope the extremity of accumulation adjacent year. 

A arguable declaration to physique armoured vehicles for Saudi Arabia's military has present completed production. 

New concerns astir the availability of enactment astatine GDLS comes with Canada successful a drawback national predetermination and a changing narration with the United States, fixed President Donald Trump's threats of annexation. 

More than successful caller elections, federal politicians are talking much openly astir increasing military spending. 

"Now would beryllium the clip that we wrapper the Canadian emblem astir our subject and the Canadian men and women that tin physique for a military," said Jeff Skinner, a seat with Unifor Local 27, the national that represents workers astatine the London works connected Oxford Street East. "I'm honestly not definite who would beryllium much supportive, whether it's Liberal oregon Conservative." 

Trump has criticized Canada for falling abbreviated of NATO's defence spending people of 2 per cent of gross home merchandise (GDP).

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has said helium volition deed that people by 2030. On Monday, successful summation to that, helium renewed a committedness to defence spending, including caller submarines and dense icebreakers. Carney didn't notation GDLS-Canada oregon armoured vehicles specifically. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said last twelvemonth he won't perpetrate to NATO's defence spending target.

But if defence spending does increase, could immoderate of it trickle down to GDLS successful London? 

Erika Simpson, a Western University associate professor of planetary relations, said it could pb to much armoured conveyance accumulation astatine GDLS. However, she said, that volition person to beryllium weighed against different defence spending priorities successful a governmental clime that changes astir daily. 

"We person to inquire ourselves, 'Do we privation to proceed backing the United States astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic Mr. Trump is talking astir annexing Canada?'" said Simpson. 

She besides pointed out there are plentifulness of different ways Canada could nonstop much subject spending, from submarines that tin run nether the Arctic crystal to caller navy frigates. In a January sentiment portion successful the Globe and Mail, she argued Canada should make its ain peacekeeping unit to patrol on the Canada-U.S. border. 

"It would awesome to the United States that we're superior astir our sovereignty and astir the anticipation of being annexed," she said. 

No steadfast committedness to light-armoured vehicles

So wherever does that permission light-armoured conveyance accumulation successful London?

A GDLS-Canada spokesperson declined to remark for this story.

However, determination are indications determination could beryllium much enactment for the company.

Last spring, the national authorities announced a renewed imaginativeness for Canada's defence. That papers makes circumstantial notation of a program to research options to found an LAV production programme to replenish Canada's fleet and enactment NATO allies.

NDP campaigner Lindsay Mathyssen is seeking re-election successful London-Fanshawe, the riding wherever GDLS-Canada is located. She's besides been the party's defence professional since 2021. 

Mathyssen supports accrued defence spending with an accent connected utilizing home suppliers, fixed the changed narration with the United States.

"This is astir gathering Canadian and buying Canadian," she said. 

She besides wants to see better supports for those who service successful the Canadian military, including improved lodging and wellness care.

Although GDLS-Canada is simply a subsidiary of an American company, Mathyssen said she supports the institution continuing to person Canadian defence contracts. 

She pointed out GDLS relies connected much than 200 suppliers successful the London area, a concern narration that generates important spin-off economical activity.  

"There's inactive a important footprint successful Canada and of people present successful London," she said. "If they are committed to staying successful Canada, and gathering successful Canada and providing those bully jobs, past that's a committedness to Canadian workers."