The federal government has reached a conditional agreement to sell 10 retired military transport aircraft to a British Columbia aerospace company to bolster Canada’s aerial firefighting capacity.
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The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-130H Hercules aircraft will be acquired by Port Alberni-based Coulson Aviation, which plans to convert, maintain and operate the fleet for wildland firefighting and emergency response operations across the country.
The Aug. 7 announcement was made by Stephen Fuhr, secretary of state for defence procurement, on behalf of Joël Lightbound, minister of government transformation, public works and procurement.
“Through the conditional sale of these retired Hercules aircraft to a Canadian company with world-class expertise, we are ensuring that valuable military assets continue to serve Canadians,” Lightbound said. “This initiative supports good jobs, strengthens our aerospace sector and enhances Canada’s ability to respond to wildfires and other emergencies.”
The sale is being managed by GCMil, a division within Public Services and Procurement Canada responsible for divesting surplus military hardware for National Defence.
The 10 planes were part of a fleet of 12 CC-130H Hercules aircraft officially retired by the RCAF in January 2026. The remaining two retired aircraft will be put on public display at military bases and museums across Canada.
Before Coulson Aviation can put the planes into service, the deal remains subject to final contractual details and civil certification approvals from Transport Canada.
Financial terms of the sale and details regarding competing bids were not disclosed, with officials citing confidentiality guidelines for surplus military asset sales.
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