Infrastructure and Environnent

Infrastructure on Bases and Wings

Key Facts

Details

• Much of the existing Real Portfolio (RP) was not designed for today's operational needs. In addition, a significant proportion of the assets are at the end of their life cycle and are forecasted to be in "critical" condition by 2030.
• The state of the portfolio is consistent with the overall Government of Canada's real property portfolio as the average age of assets is increasing, overall portfolio condition is deteriorating, deferred maintenance costs continue to grow, and the functionality and suitability of the portfolio is declining.
• Ongoing efforts are underway to improve the condition of assets to mitigate the risk of incidents that would impact infrastructure and operational readiness in addition to posing health and safety risks.
• Through portfolio modernization, National Defence is also increasing the energy efficiency of defence infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and providing modern green facilities to support personnel.
  • National Defence has implemented energy performance contracts, designated energy managers at all bases and wings across the country, purchased clean power, greened the commercial light-duty vehicle fleet, and invested in energy efficient buildings and upgrades to existing facilities.
  • As of 2022-23, Defence had reduced GHG emissions from buildings and non-military vehicles by about 36% from 2005 levels.
• The achievement of Defence Real Property Portfolio Strategy (DRPPS) strategic goals is contingent on effective monitoring, reporting, and performance assessment. Some of the strategy's key targets include:

• For FY 24/25, National Defence is on track to spend upwards of $351M in minor capital project investment into existing infrastructure. This investment includes major repairs and overhauls of existing infrastructure and the recapitalization of existing capabilities with project values under $10M. This investment is a decrease from the $509M spent in FY 23/24 but in line with the average of the previous two years, $373M in FY 22/23 and $332M in FY 21/22. Included are:
  • $16 million in Ranges and Training Area investments;
  • $15 million in Port facility investments
  • $41 million in Aerodrome investments including the recapitalization of airfields and repairs to associated buildings; and
  • $31 million for municipal works repairs and recapitalization, such as roads and utilities.

Examples of Major Recent Defence Infrastructure Projects

• Modified design build award in November 2023 for the $188M Combatant Training and Integration Centre (CTIC) at CFB Halifax. Once complete, this facility will house cutting-edge training systems and become a critical facility to train personnel for future Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) operations.
• Commencing Construction of a new $44M Neurobehavioral Blast Research Facility of approximately 1,400 m2. The project will enable DRDC Suffield to study the full range of prevention, treatment and long-term goal of improving blast protection and blast treatment for CAF members.
• Construction of a new facilities and recapitalization of existing facilities at the JTF2 Dwyer Hill Training Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The $1.4B project will deliver the necessary infrastructure specifically designed to support JTF 2's high readiness requirements.
• The ongoing construction of the A/B Jetty Recapitalization Project at CFB Esquimalt's Dockyard in BC. Work in FY 24-25 includes completion of construction of "B" Jetty and the commencing construction of "A" Jetty, starting with the demolition of the existing jetty. This project is expected to cost between $500M and $1B and will improve site access for utility service and roadway routing and replace the two pre-existing stationary tower cranes found on the old jetties.
• Completion of new $319M Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) facility providing operational space, training facilities, vehicle maintenance areas, warehousing and medical facilities for CSOR at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in Ontario.

Infrastructure and Procurement in the North

Key Facts

Details

Initiatives to Enhance the Ability of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to Operate in the North

• Enhancing Canada's surveillance of northern approaches through investments in domain awareness, space-based surveillance and communications capabilities, improvements to northern basing, and support capabilities that will extend the reach of the CAF as part of NORAD modernization.
• As part of this plan, National Defence is currently working on upgrading CAF infrastructure at three Forward Operating Locations in Canada's North (Inuvik, Yellowknife, and Iqaluit), and at 5 Wing Goose Bay Deployed Operating Base, through the NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure initiative.
• Upgrades could include runway modifications, airfield improvement, hangars, ammunition compounds, warehousing, operations, and life support facilities. This will support a more robust NORAD and CAF presence when needed, with potential opportunities for community access and use of facilities, where feasible.
• Engagements with Indigenous and local partners regarding NORAD and Northern Basing Infrastructure planning began in 2022 and sustained collaboration will continue as projects progress.
• Separately, National Defence is enhancing its space-based global search and rescue (SAR) capabilities through its contributions to the Medium Earth Orbit SAR system. National Defence is building two SAR ground terminals in Canada and is providing SAR repeaters on a satellite system, greatly increasing the range in which emergency beacons can be detected.

Inuvik Airport Runway Extension Project

• As part of our efforts to enhance capabilities in the North, National Defence has committed $230 million to the Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) for a runway extension at the Inuvik Airport.
• The project is targeting completion in FY 2027-28 and will see the extension and improvement of the Inuvik runway. GNWT has contracted the work to an Indigenous joint venture composed of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

Nanisivik Naval Facility

• In 2007, the Government announced its plan to convert the deep-water port at Nanisivik to a logistics hub, which will operate as a docking and refueling facility for the Royal Canadian Navy and other government vessels and serve to enhance the Navy's presence in the North.
  • The construction of the Nanisivik Naval Facility in Nunavut is substantially completed. The primary role of the facility will be to refuel the Royal Canadian Navy's Arctic and Offshore Patrol ships during the navigable season, while also continuing to provide the Canadian Coast Guard with refueling support and storage capacity for re-supply missions.
• The Auditor General's 2022 report on Arctic Waters Surveillance noted that the Nanisivik Naval Facility (NNF) would not be equipped with heated fuel tanks, limiting its period of operation to approximately 4 weeks per year.
  • As an Arctic facility, the operational year is usually from early August to as late as October, depending on ice-coverage and temperatures. As long as the waters are navigable and the facility is accessible, the site will be open to ships. There are a number of factors which contribute to the length of the facilities' operating season.
  • After consultations with the community of Arctic Bay, National Defence advised that there would not be ice breaking near the facility to ensure community access to frozen waters and protect wildlife. As long as the waters are navigable and the facility is accessible, the site will be open to ships.
  • As well, the NNF requires fuel to be shipped in at the start of the season and removed at the end of the season. The fuel barge cannot typically access NNF until early August because of ice coverage. Depending on the temperatures in late September, fuel may start to thicken as the fuel tanks and lines are not heated, limiting the Navy's ability to use the fuel. At that point the fuel must be removed from the tanks.