Thank you, and good morning.
Mr. Chair, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here to talk about the role that my group, the assistant deputy minister of Infrastructure and Environment, plays in the readiness of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
As Lieutenant-General Michael Hood told you when he spoke to you on April 14, readiness includes our people, our aircraft and systems, and the other resources that together provide the air-power capabilities the government requires to serve Canadians and Canadian interests. Infrastructure is a large portfolio of these other resources and that my group is concerned with.
On behalf of the Department of National Defence, ADM(IE) manages over $26 billion in real property assets, including buildings and roads, hangars and airfields, and runways across Canada. Simply put, if these facilities are not designed, built, and maintained to meet modern standards, the readiness of our air force is severely compromised.
Allow me to touch briefly on how ADM(IE) supports the air force in its mandate to provide reconnaissance, mobility, support, humanitarian aid, search and rescue, and force capabilities to the Government of Canada. Since 2014 ADM(IE) has been gradually assuming management responsibility for defence infrastructure, and on April 1, 2016, we achieved full operational capability when we became the sole custodian of over $26 billion in defence real property holdings on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces and the commanders of the army, the navy, and the air force.
This centralization will allow the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force to concentrate on preparing and operating his air force without having to plan and operate a diverse and complex infrastructure base. Ultimately my role is to ensure proper prioritization of DND infrastructure, resources, support operations, and training, and to reflect the evolving needs and constraints of the department. For example, in the past General Hood had to ensure that he had functioning runways and hangars, but he also had to ensure that the local armouries were in good shape, that the hospital was maintained properly, and that roofs weren't leaking. ADM(IE) manages that now, prioritizing DND infrastructure resources. Centralization will permit ADM(IE) to allocate those resources more effectively, bringing the right resources to the right assets at the right time.
To support ADM(IE) in this endeavour, on 24 November 2014 the Government of Canada launched the federal infrastructure investments program, or FIIP, a plan to invest $452 million in new funding over two years to repair and upgrade Canadian Armed Forces facilities across Canada. In Trenton we're undertaking $234 million in investment to provide a reconfigured runway layout, new aircraft parking space, proper drainage, and upgraded lighting systems.
In Comox we're undertaking $52 million in investments. In addition to that, we've invested $18 million in FIIP funding for utility upgrades, flood control measures, shoreline erosion protection, military housing, and hangar and airfield repairs.
In Cold Lake we're undertaking $132 million in investments, improving the roads and utilities, runways and airfield, and constructing a new health care centre, with a total investment of just under $18 million in FIIP funding.
In Bagotville we're undertaking $175 million in investments. In addition to that, we will construct a new headquarters building and improve runways, airfields, and housing with a total investment of $16 million in FIIP funding.
In Winnipeg we're undertaking $68 million in investments and will be investing $4 million of FIIP funding to repair hangar doors and make roof and lighting repairs, etc.
In the north we've created a new aerodrome engineering section that will allow us to maintain critical air power assets in this remote region.
It is projects such as these, Mr. Chair, that will allow the assistant deputy minister of Infrastructure and Environment to focus on rationalizing and sustaining National Defence's real property portfolio while balancing evolving military requirements, financial responsibilities and effective stewardship of resources.