Alberta spending $400M on new water bombers for aging firefighting fleet

Alberta is spending $400 million to add five new water bombers to its aging firefighting fleet over the next several years.

The deal with Calgary-based De Havilland Aircraft is expected to see the first amphibious plane delivered in 2031.

The Canadair DHC-515 plane can skim bodies of water and fill its 6,100-litre tank in about 12 seconds.

"This is an opportunity to build up our personal fleet and make sure as those other planes age that we have planes coming online for them," said Forestry Minister Todd Loewen.

Premier Danielle Smith said the money is separate from the $160 million the province spends on its wildfire response each year.

Alberta has had more than 1,000 average annual wildfire starts in the past decade — the second highest in Canada behind British Columbia.

The province says 18 air tankers were available to respond to wildfires last year, four of which were Alberta-owned and -contracted. Those four were built between 1986 and 1988.

Loewen said the aging planes still have life left in them, but that the provincial government doesn't want to wait until their retirement to begin bolstering the fleet.

The purchase is expected to create about 1,000 jobs while adding to the current fleet.

"It's a big deal when you get an order this size, but also it says a lot where you set up a large part of your business in a province and that province backs you," said Brian Chafe, CEO of De Havilland Canada.

De Havilland announced the launch of the DHC-515 in March 2022, stating then that 22 aircraft had been earmarked for European clients.

Last year, Manitoba had signalled its intent to buy a trio of the same aircraft.

In a news release at the time, the company said the DHC-515 is "specifically designed to meet the operational challenges faced by today's aerial firefighters" with climate change driving longer and more intense wildfire seasons.