Mr. Chair, Irving Shipbuilding president Kevin McCoy has warned of significant layoffs at the Halifax Shipyard if the gap is too large between when construction ends on the six Arctic patrol ships and when work begins on the combat supply vessels in early 2022.
The government is currently still delaying these projects, despite massive costs to the defence budget and a significant possibility that hundreds of workers will lose their jobs because of the government's decision. How much will the delays in construction cost, and when will the surface combatant ship construction start?