How to request a donation of surplus military materiel

A donation is the provision of surplus DND/CAF materiel, without remuneration, to eligible recipients external to the federal government. Normally materiel is donated only if it is deemed to be in the interest of the public, in the interest of preserving historical and heritage considerations, or as a cost minimizing measure. Donations can be made to:

• other levels of Canadian government such as provincial or municipal or to First Nations, national governments of foreign countries, treaty organizations of which Canada is a member, such as the United Nations (previously known as a gratuitous transfer)
• recognized charitable or non-profit organizations
• recognized charitable or non-profit organizations outside of Canada as approved by Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)

Materiel is only considered surplus when it is no longer required by DND/CAF. Materiel is mandated to be divested of in a manner which provides best value to the Crown, which could include a monetary return through sales or non-monetary benefits such as those listed above. Donations are one of several methods considered when planning out the divestment of materiel.

Process to request donation

If interested in receiving a donation, you are encouraged to contact us through the following positional mailbox: Donations-Dons@forces.gc.ca.

Please include at a minimum:

• your organization’s name
• the materiel you're interested in
• your location
• the intended end-use of the materiel

If donations are determined to be a viable divestment method once materiel is surplus to DND/CAF, organizations who have expressed interest in receiving a donation may be contacted to further explore this potential option. Please note that even if donations are considered, there are often costs associated with the packaging, transportation and upkeep of assets which may be the responsibility of potential recipients.