The Canadian government will table legislation this week to make the Defence Investment Agency (DIA) a Crown corporation, Procurement Minister Joel Lightbound has announced. The move would give the agency, led by CEO Doug Guzman, greater independence to manage military procurement and defence investment.

The bill, titled “An Act respecting production, procurement and investment in relation to national defence and national security,” is expected to be introduced on Tuesday. The DIA was created in January 2026 to fix Canada’s troubled defence buying system, which has long been criticised for delays and cost overruns on everything from ships to fighter jets.

As a Crown corporation, the agency would operate at arm’s length from government with its own board and budget. Defence analysts say the change could speed up long-delayed projects, including the submarine replacement programme. The government says the reform is part of a broader push to rebuild Canada’s military capabilities amid growing global tensions.