Program directory · National Defence
International Operations
- Department
- National Defence
- Program code
- BUN03 (ND)
- Core responsibility
- Operations
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The International Operations program involves leading and/or contributing to international peace operations and stabilization missions with the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other multilateral partners. Operations include coalition efforts to deter and defeat adversaries including terrorists; capacity building to support the ability of other nations to contribute to security abroad; supporting the security of Canadians overseas; and, providing assistance and response to international disasters or major emergencies.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Operations | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $3.39B |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Employees (FTEs) 62, against 155 in 2018-19 (−60%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Spending $369M, against $546M in 2018-19 (−33%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Indicators added: % of stated objectives met by international operations; Extent to which the Canadian Armed Forces is effective in international operations | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Spending $528M, against $351M in 2022-23 (+50%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Employees (FTEs) 217, against 103 in 2023-24 (+111%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Spending $983M, against $528M in 2023-24 (+86%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Planned employees (FTEs) 309, against 217 in 2024-25 (+42%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Planned spending $1.35B, against $887M in 2025-26 (+52%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 100% | 2019 | 91% DND/CAF continue to progress projects to address capability deficiencies, such as Strategic lift, using contracts to fill gaps, and combined exercises with partners and liaison officers, to mitigate interoperability challenges. | Not met |
| 2019-20 | 90% – 100% | 2020 | 95% | Met |
| 2020-21 | 90% – 100% | 2021 | 95% DND/CAF continued to progress projects to address capability deficiencies, such as strategic airlift, using contracts to fill gaps and combined exercises with partners and liaison officers, to mitigate interoperability challenges. | Met |
| 2021-22 | 90% – 100% | 2022 | 94% All international operations achieved their stated objectives as written in their respective operational orders. The score has been adjusted by 5% to account for planning and execution frictions that cannot be captured in assessment plan and associated reports. The main challenge with regard to international operations was the recall of personnel on Operation UNIFIER due to the invasion of Ukrain… | Met |
| 2022-23 | 90% – 100% | 2023 | 91% | Met |
| 2023-24 | 90% – 100% | 2024 | 97% | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 90% | 2025 | 96% | Met |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ≥ 100% | 2023 | 95 CJOC, on behalf of the CAF, conducts numerous significant operations that contribute to the security of Canada through the promotion of stability around the globe; Operations REASSURANCE, UNIFIER, PROJECTION, NEON, CARIBBE, and IMPACT are several of the operations that support this effort, with GC-desired effects delivered despite CAF challenges in resourcing. The score has been adjusted by 5% to… | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 100% | 2024 | 98% Key factors influencing operational performance include Operational Complexity- many objectives are multifactorial. For example, despite the defeat of Daesh, Operation IMPACT’s legacy objectives related to combating Violent Extremist Organizations are still active, impacting the operation’s score due to reduced activity. Specific Operational Challenges- For instance, Operation SNOWGOOSE fell shor… | Not met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 100% | 2025 | 100% | Met |
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of international operations | 2023 | Green. | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of international operations | 2024 | Target achieved The CAF, through the Reconstitution Directive and due to changing situations within UN and NATO missions, has undergone measures to scale down certain operations while still meeting GoC objectives. Operations in Africa for example will eventually be consolidated under a single Op, and objectives under IMPACT have been drawn down, and remaining objectives moved under FOUNDATION. | Met |
| 2024-25 | The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of international operations | 2025 | Target Achieved | Met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 90% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 100% | 2027 | — | Planned |
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of international operations | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $298M | $546M |
| 2019-20 | $248M | $369M |
| 2020-21 | $317M | $312M |
| 2021-22 | $107M | $300M |
| 2022-23 | $217M | $351M |
| 2023-24 | $143M | $528M |
| 2024-25 | $1.01B | $983M |
| 2025-26 | $887M | — |
| 2026-27 | $1.35B | — |
| 2027-28 | $1.31B* | — |
| 2028-29 | $1.07B* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 101 | 155 |
| 2019-20 | 148 | 62 |
| 2020-21 | 59 | 62 |
| 2021-22 | 111 | 66 |
| 2022-23 | 70 | 82 |
| 2023-24 | 63 | 103 |
| 2024-25 | 79 | 217 |
| 2025-26 | 309 | — |
| 2026-27 | 272 | — |
| 2027-28 | 278* | — |
| 2028-29 | 284* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $298,157,181 | $304,373,845 | $311,911,624 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $248,266,514 | $261,737,624 | $277,240,145 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $316,795,475 | $323,985,472 | $341,007,092 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $107,417,807 | $111,369,002 | $116,652,119 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $216,640,345 | $234,335,826 | $240,471,974 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $143,333,097 | $143,279,063 | $153,904,255 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $1,006,311,786 | $1,010,858,630 | $232,560,720 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $887,124,448 | $218,458,669 | $204,414,712 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $1,348,468,725 | $1,305,511,865 | $1,067,465,914 | ||||||||
| Actual | $546,028,875 | $368,561,830 | $312,305,257 | $300,089,621 | $351,192,865 | $527,817,352 | $982,949,993 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
