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Canadian military officials were before a Yellowknife city council committee on Monday, presenting some details about their plans to modernize Yellowknife’s North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) site.
“We are looking at almost a generational level of investment,” said Lt-Col. Matthew Baxter, deputy director for NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure (NNBI) for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Baxter told CBC News that Yellowknife’s NORAD Forward Operating Location, located near the airport, could be scaled up by five to ten times what’s currently there.
Lt.-Col. Matthew Baxter, deputy director for the NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure Project for the Royal Canadian Air Force, says Yellowknife’s NORAD Forward Operating Location is set to receive a ‘generational’ level of investment. (Mohamed-Amin Kehel/Radio-Canada)
The last time Canada spent a lot of money on NORAD and its northern Forward Operating Locations was in the ’80s, he said.
According to George Siket, a project director with the Department of National Defence (DND), the project could see $5 to $8 billion in investment coming to Yellowknife.
It’s not clear what that could mean for population growth in Yellowknife, as DND officials say it’s too early to know how many people will be needed for construction work or will be stationed there.
NORAD is jointly commanded by the United States and Canada and is responsible for aerospace warning and control, as well as maritime warning, in the defence of North America.
Its Forward Operating Locations are intended to support the operations of the Canadian Armed Forces and they’re where NORAD can deploy aircraft as needed from larger bases. That means the number of personnel on those sites can fluctuate.
A CH-146 Griffon helicopter is loaded on board a C-177 Globemaster III in Quebec City in 2021. The C-177 Globemaster is one of the larger planes requiring a hangar larger than what’s now available at Yellowknife’s NORAD Forward Operating Location. (The Canadian Press)
Baxter said one reason a Forward Operating Location might be activated by NORAD is when an enemy aircraft is moving through the Arctic. It could also be activated for training purposes.
DND officials shared a list of aircraft that are expected to operate intermittently from Yellowknife, including fighters, tankers, transport aircraft, maritime patrol and SAR planes, as well as helicopters. Some are too large for current hangars in Yellowknife, which is one of the reasons for the upgrades at the site.
Upgrades coming
Among the elements to be built under the NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure project, DND listed multiple hangars and airport aprons, which essentially act as aircraft parking space.
Under current plans to upgrade the Yellowknife Airport, a plot of land has been allocated for the military. It would allow aircraft to easily access an extended runway from these new hangars and aprons.
The upgrades also include a warehouse, an operations center and a building to provide accommodations for military personnel.
A draft concept site plan for the Yellowknife airport, presented to the city council committee on Monday. (Department of National Defence)
Currently, the site can accommodate about 250 personnel and Baxter says the upgrades will mean there’s room for up to 500 people on a temporary basis.
To support an increased military presence, DND provides funds for now to help with runway extensions and utility upgrades in the N.W.T. It’s already working with the City of Yellowknife to extend the city’s piped water and sewer system to the airport.
George Siket, director with the NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure Project, said talks with N.W.T. power providers are in ‘very initial’ stages. (Mohamed-Amin Kehel/Radio-Canada)
Siket said the department is also in early talks with power distributors and the Taltson Hydro Expansion project, though those conversations are in “very initial” stages.
He also said there is no current focus on assisting with the territory’s other major projects as far as work in Yellowknife goes.
DND expects the project to be delivered in three phases, starting with development in 2027. That phase is expected to include an Indigenous participation plan, a market analysis and regulatory review.
The Indigenous participation plan is still being developed, but officials say it should focus around three elements: training, employment and sub-contracting.
The design phase is slated to come next, from 2027 to 2030, with some design work and early construction. The third phase, consisting of the bulk of construction, is expected to last from 2030 to 2040.
Military officials are holding a town hall event this week for Yellowknife residents to learn more about the project and ask questions. It’s at the the Explorer Hotel on Thursday at 7 p.m.