Government officials say they are in a race against the clock when it comes to building new warships for the navy, with little flexibility for further delays or hangups in the multi-billion-dollar project.
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The federal government launched a long-anticipated competition today to pick a foreign-made design for the ships that will replace the navy’s frigates and destroyers.
The government would like construction on the new warships to start in Halifax around 2020, when the last of the navy’s new Arctic patrol vessels is scheduled to be finished.
But officials say there is currently a two-year gap between the projects.
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Officials want to close that gap to ensure workers and equipment don’t sit idle, which will cost taxpayers more money.
That could take a miracle, however, as there are many more potential roadblocks that need to be cleared before work on the new warships begins.
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