EU and Canada to jointly purchase 50 DHC‑515 firefighting aircraft

Canada and the European Union plan to jointly purchase 50 De Havilland DHC‑515 firefighting aircraft, with a draft joint statement sent to the EU Council Secretariat’s working groups on 22 September and a summit in Montreal scheduled for 29‑30 October 2026.

In March 2026 De Havilland produced 22 DHC‑515 aircraft for Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, while Canada signed supply agreements with the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta; the European order includes 12 aircraft financed by the European Commission for the rescEU fleet and 10 for national procurement, and first deliveries are expected to begin at the end of 2027.