Ottawa Valley voters hopeful for more defence spending

05-Apr-2025

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Defence spending is now a federal election issue, as party leaders discuss sovereignty, procurement and a plan to meet  the two per cent GDP spending target that is Canada's commitment to NATO.

In the Ottawa Valley, in the riding of Algonquin-Renfrew-Pembroke, people who rely on the economic engine that is Garrison Petawawa are looking to benefit from that increased investment, which they hope will translate into more recruitment, better salaries, and more housing for Canadian Armed Forces members, and their families.

"We live and die by how well the base is doing," says Odette Miller, the officer manager at Pronto Retail Centre located just outside the garrison. The centre hosts a laundromat, three-star hotel, pizza joint, Northland bus stop, nightclub, and pool hall.