OTTAWA—Canada’s military is facing a homegrown threat — its network of armouries, airfields and army bases that are crumbling because of inadequate maintenance, a federal watchdog is warning.

Auditor General Michael Ferguson probed the defence department’s real estate practices and turned up a troubling tale of neglect and lack of investment that threatens to put lives at risk.

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Successive budget cuts have reduced the staff and money available to keep up the military’s sprawling real estate portfolio, which includes some 20,000 buildings and 13,000 works — which includes roads, sewers and weapons ranges — in installations and bases across the country, Ferguson’s audit found.

In a survey of 21 military bases, several reported that preventive maintenance programs halted in the mid-1990s because of cutbacks to personnel and funding.

“The focus is often on maintenance after breakdown, resulting in a premature failure of real property assets,” said the audit, released Tuesday.

He said many locations were not in compliance with the national fire code, citing the fact that necessary inspections of fire alarms are often not being done.

“This means that the health and safety of workers in the affected facilities could be at risk,” the audit said.

In 2010, the department’s review found that 43 per cent of its non-residential buildings were more than 50 years old. The Conservatives’ 2008 defence strategy committed $40 billion over 20 years to maintain and upgrade defence real estate.

But the audit found that the defence department is spending only about $189 million on maintenance and repair, which is not enough to keep its property holdings in good shape.

“Infrastructure is likely to continue deteriorating until the department consistently meets the minimum standard level of spending,” the audit said.

Ferguson also warns that the defence department’s approval process for new projects is “cumbersome and lengthy,” taking up to six years from planning to actual construction.

The audit cited the example of an Edmonton-based army regiment that is getting 44 new tanks — but won’t have a facility to house the new equipment for at least four more years.

The audit found that many construction projects were running behind schedule and recommended a simplified approval process to help schedules on track.

In their response to the findings, defence officials said they agreed with the auditor’s eight recommendations to overhaul its real estate management.

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