Canada will build 3 Arctic military hubs as it ramps up regional footprint – National [Video]

The federal government will build northern military operational support hubs in Iqaluit, Yellowknife, and Inuvik, Defence Minister Bill Blair announced Thursday, while promising there will be more to come as Ottawa ramps up its military footprint in the Arctic.

The hubs are the cornerstone of the federal government’s Arctic security strategy, which committed $2.67 billion over 20 years to building them.

Blair was in Iqaluit Thursday to announce the first three locations and said the department is planning to build more than the five operational hubs discussed in Canada’s new defence policy last April.

“The discussions that we’ve been having in the subsequent 10 months clearly indicates that there may be additional locations,” Blair told The Canadian Press. He didn’t offer a precise number.

“It’s been an ongoing discussion with Canadians, but also with our allies, that Canada needs to do more to secure its sovereignty and defend our country,” Blair added. “And the Arctic is probably the most important place to …