Canada poised to announce deal for 50 new water bombers amid worsening wildfires

MONTREAL · Canada is expected to announce a deal this week to jointly purchase 50 new water bombers with the European Investment Bank. The announcement is scheduled for the European Union-Canada summit in Montreal, according to leaked documents obtained by Politico. The move follows months of lobbying by Calgary-based aerospace company De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited for a national fleet. The country has not added any new water bombers in over a decade, even as wildfires have increased in intensity and frequency.

"Forest fires won't wait," reads a recent De Havilland newspaper ad bordered with flames. "It's time for a national water bomber fleet." Neil Sweeney, De Havilland's vice president of corporate affairs, said the current fleet is insufficient. "We don't have enough aircraft for the fires of today. We certainly don't have enough aircraft for the fires of tomorrow," Sweeney told The Narwhal. He said with increasing drought and extreme weather, "it's time to invest today for the problems of tomorrow."

The proposed fleet is a multibillion-dollar project, with estimates placing the cost for 50 planes between $3 billion and $4 billion. News releases from existing orders put the price of a single new water bomber between $60 million and $80 million. The newest model, which De Havilland is restarting production on, can scoop more than 6,000 litres of water in 12 seconds. The company says it is the best firefighting tool in the world.

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Many aviation and wildfire experts expressed concerns about the plan, questioning how many planes Canada really needs and their effectiveness. "I don't know if 50 is the right number. It may be too little. It may be too much," Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire at Thompson Rivers University, told The Narwhal. He said water bombers are part of the toolbox but are not the most frequently used or most important tool, emphasizing firefighters and helicopters. Flannigan also called for a national wildfire strategy.

There are currently about 50 water bombers in Canada, owned by provinces or private contractors, with an average age of 32 to 35 years. The planes were first manufactured in the 1960s, with production stopping in 2015. "That was sufficient, you know, until the world started to catch on fire," said John Gradek, a lecturer at McGill University in aviation management. He noted the country lacks an integrated national plan for deploying a fleet of 50 planes.

The federal government did not provide details on who would manage a new fleet or where the planes would be stationed. Wildfire management is a provincial and territorial responsibility, though federal agencies like Public Safety Canada and Natural Resources Canada provide support. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre coordinates resource sharing across jurisdictions. Its communications advisor, Alexandria Jones, said water bombers are not always the most appropriate tool, depending on the landscape or the fire.

Delivery of new aircraft would take years. Sweeney said De Havilland can currently build about 10 water bombers a year, with several orders already queued. The first 22 planes will go to Europe, and Manitoba is set to be the first Canadian province to receive one, expected by 2031. The wait time for an order placed now is estimated at six to seven years. "Obviously, that's a long time to wait for an aircraft," Sweeney said, citing the challenges of restarting production and engineering changes.

The federal government spends about $1 billion annually on wildfire suppression and response. During the 2026 wildfire season, there were 23 days when fires were so significant that firefighters and equipment across Canada were maxed out, requiring international assistance. As climate change extends and intensifies wildfire seasons, water bombers are seen as a tool to make fires more manageable and assist ground crews. Some experts suggested funds might be better spent on wildfire prevention or a variety of aircraft. The announcement of the joint purchase deal comes as both Canada and Europe have experienced simultaneous, record-setting wildfire seasons.

With files from Wings Magazine