Canada’s first F-35A flew in September 2026, and the RCAF has reportedly accepted its first two jets in the United States. The aircraft are on their way. The buildings to house them are not: the Auditor General found the new Fighter Squadron Facilities at 4 Wing Cold Lake and 3 Wing Bagotville are expected only in 2031, more than three years behind schedule. It is the clearest current example of a defence capability paced by its infrastructure.
Where the program stands
The government confirmed the purchase of 88 F-35A aircraft on January 9, 2023. DND’s project page puts the project value at $27.7 billion, covering aircraft, equipment, sustainment, training and the squadron facilities. Its schedule shows first arrival in Canada in 2028, initial operational capability in 2029–2030 and full operational capability in 2032–2034. DND itself describes the schedule as “quite aggressive.”
The first eight jets will be based at the F-35 pilot training centre at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona until Canadian infrastructure is ready. Meanwhile, the government’s review of the F-35 purchase, ordered in March 2025, remains open. Canada is committed to the first 16 jets. In October 2026, the Defence Minister said the question of where the program goes next is still under review.
Infrastructure spending is continuing regardless. On October 7, 2026, DND announced nearly $4 billion to support future fighter capabilities at CFB Cold Lake, as part of about $8 billion in defence investment in Alberta.
What the Auditor General found
The June 2025 audit, Delivering Canada’s Future Fighter Jet Capability, is the most detailed public account of the infrastructure:
- Schedule. The facilities were meant to be ready for the first aircraft arriving in 2028. They are now planned for 2031.
- Design maturity. Design began in 2020 so it could suit any of the three competing jets, and it needed major changes once the F-35 was chosen. In November 2023, design maturity was 10% at Cold Lake and 15% at Bagotville, against a usual target of about 35% at that stage. Both reached 35% only in December 2024 and January 2025.
- Cost. The project estimate rose from $19.0 billion in 2022 to $27.7 billion in 2024, and the infrastructure line nearly doubled, from $1.3 billion to $2.5 billion. At least $5.5 billion more is needed to reach full capability, including over $4 billion of infrastructure outside the project budget.
- Delivery capacity. Infrastructure spending in 2023–24 ran 50% below forecast, and only 14 of 47 positions due by September 2024 had been filled.
- Interim operations. The plan relies on movable facilities and renovated buildings, with no cost estimate at the time of the audit. In June 2024, interim operations readiness was rated red.
DND agreed with all four of the Auditor General’s recommendations, including updating the master implementation plan and schedules.
View the data
| Category | 2022 ($B) | 2024 ($B) |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | 10.0 | 12.2 |
| Contingency | 2.0 | 6.2 |
| Infrastructure | 1.3 | 2.5 |
| Weapons | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Other | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| Total | 19.0 | 27.7 |
| Excluded costs to reach full capability | — | at least 5.5 |
What’s being built
The Fighter Squadron Facilities are being delivered through modified design-build. EllisDon holds the Cold Lake facility, about 19,000 m² for three squadrons. A joint venture of EllisDon and EBC holds Bagotville, more than 30,000 m² for two squadrons. Defence Construction Canada reports $525 million in contracts for the two “super hangars.” At Cold Lake, trade packages are being procured through 2026 and 2027, with construction packages running into late 2027.
The F-35 also brings security requirements that few existing buildings meet. In January 2025, DND awarded a $15.8 million contract for a Tactical Special Access Program Facility, with secure enclosures due at Cold Lake between September 2026 and May 2027. The Auditor General noted that the designs include significant protection for classified information.
Lessons for every defence capital program
- Don’t design before the requirement is fixed. Starting facility design before the aircraft was selected saved time on paper and cost it in practice. Where early design is unavoidable, scope it to what is common to all options.
- Put equipment and infrastructure on one critical path. When facility dates are managed separately from aircraft deliveries, a three-year gap can open before leadership sees it. One integrated master schedule makes that gap visible on day one.
- Plan and cost interim facilities early. Interim solutions are often the real critical path when permanent facilities slip. They need their own budget, schedule and security accreditation.
- Treat secure facilities as long-lead items. Classified spaces drive design, procurement and accreditation timelines. Schedule them from the start.
- Staff the owner’s team before the surge. A project team at 30% of planned strength can’t manage design maturity, cost reviews and contractor performance at the same time.
Go deeper: the 4 Wing Cold Lake project page, the 3 Wing Bagotville project page and DND's real property infrastructure gaps.
The bottom line
Canada’s F-35 program shows how an equipment program becomes an infrastructure program. The jets will be ready before their permanent homes are, and the cost of bridging that gap falls on interim facilities, training abroad and schedule pressure. The fixes are well known: integrated schedules, mature design before commitment, and an owner’s team sized for the work.
Benjamin R. Consulting provides owner-side scheduling and project controls for defence and public capital programs. Book a 30-minute call to discuss your program.
Sources: DND, Future Fighter Capability Project; Auditor General, Delivering Canada’s Future Fighter Jet Capability (June 2025); Auditor General, opening statement to Public Accounts (October 7, 2025); DND, defence investments in Alberta (October 7, 2026); Defence Construction Canada, Future Fighter Capability Project; EllisDon, Cold Lake Fighter Squadron Facility; MDB JV, Bagotville Fighter Squadron Facility; AeroTime, F-35 review has no end date (April 2026); Lakeland Connect, first Canadian F-35 flight (September 2026); Defence Blog, first two CF-35A delivered (October 2026); Migflug, Cold Lake infrastructure and review (October 2026). This article is based on public sources and is general information only.