Ukraine desperately needs surplus Canadian armour, ambassador tells MPs

Ukraine's ambassador to Canada says her country is in dire need of armoured vehicles and hopes Canada's plan to supply rebuilt troop carriers proceeds quickly.

Yuliya Kovaliv appeared Tuesday before the House of Commons defence committee, where she fielded a series of questions about Canadian military support for Ukraine's defence in its war with Russia.

Earlier this week, CBC News reported on a Department of National Defence (DND) plan to rebuild and modernize two dozen decommissioned Canadian light armoured vehicles for donation to Ukraine.

The plan is stuck in bureaucratic limbo more than nine months after DND handed the vehicles over to an Ontario company that specializes in restoration.

«There is an urgent need for the armoured vehicles, those who are newly produced and those that could be refurbished,» Kovaliv told the committee.

She said the work of rebuilding old armoured vehicles «could be expedited» to help bolster Ukrainian forces.

«We value the decision of DND to support this project,» she said, adding Ukraine is «looking forward» to the Canadian Commercial Credit Corporation (CCC), an arm of the federal government, concluding a contract.

Negotiations between Armatec Survivability in Dorchester, Ont., and CCC have been ongoing for months with no conclusion.

Discussion about the holdup comes several days after Canada announced it would send Ukraine almost 100 retired armoured vehicle chassis, which can only be used for spare parts.

Last year, DND acknowledged it has 195 LAV II Bisons and 149 Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicles that are in the process of being taken out of service.

The United States has been watching the Canadian project with interest because Armatec's restoration techniques might open up access for