Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, announced that a new, 480-room accommodations facility for Canadian Armed Forces members will be built at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt - and that a contract has been awarded to begin design work.
The new 31,700 m2 facility for Junior Non-Commission Members will provide incoming Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) personnel with modern and functional infrastructure at CFB Esquimalt as they train and prepare for tomorrow's security challenges.
The new facility will consolidate several functions across the Base into one new, central, and modern high-rise. It will include approximately 480 single occupancy rooms, administrative areas, a dining area and galley capable of serving 700 people, a mess that can support 400 people, postal services, coffee shops, and more.
The total design and construction contract cost is estimated at $165 million - and the design portion of the design-build contract has now been awarded to Ellis Don Corporation for $10.1 million. Estimated costs are subject to change as design progresses. We expect this project to create or sustain almost 900 jobs during construction.
Aligned with the RCN's Future Naval Training Strategy, these new, consolidated modern accommodations will support the RCN's intent to have a bi-coastal training model that better meets the needs of our personnel in Esquimalt, helping to limit travel and time away from their families.
As indicated in our renewed vision for defence, Our North, Strong and Free, the Government of Canada is committed to improving quality of life for Canadian Armed Forces members and providing them with the tools they need to meet today's and future challenges. This is why Our North, Strong and Free invests $10.2 billion over 20 years in current and new infrastructure - and additional funding to establish a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) housing strategy, build new housing, and rehabilitate existing housing so CAF members have safe and affordable places to call home where they and their families are posted.
In Esquimalt, Minister Blair reiterated that Budget 2024 makes additional investments for the Department of National Defence to build and renovate housing for CAF personnel on bases across Canada. This will support the construction of up to 1,400 new homes and the renovation of an additional 2,500 existing units for CAF members on base in communities such as Esquimalt, Edmonton, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, and Gagetown. Building more on-base housing will not only help meet the housing needs of military personnel but also help address housing demand in surrounding communities, since fewer military personnel will require rentals in these areas.
Minister Blair also highlighted the federal government's national effort to unlock more public lands for housing. National Defence owns 622 properties across Canada - including in Victoria, totalling 2.2 million hectares. Many of these National Defence properties in cities and communities across Canada are not fully utilized and could be unlocked to build more homes for Canadian Armed Forces members, and civilians, to live in.
Minister Blair noted that the Government is reviewing the entire federal lands portfolio to identify more lands for housing. As announced in Budget 2024, the government is exploring the redevelopment of parts of National Defence properties - including CFB Esquimalt - which could be used for both military and civilian uses - including building more homes. We expect this review to identify additional lands that are promising for housing across Canada. As the results of this review come through, we will work with the housing sector to build homes wherever possible.
