Canada and U.K. team up to upgrade CFB Suffield

Canada and the United Kingdom are working together to upgrade Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Suffield in southeastern Alberta.

The two countries are investing a total of $17.3 million to build a fire hall building, range control facility and various other improvements throughout the base.

The U.K. will contribute 78 per cent of the costs for the range control facility and fire hall while Canada will pay 22 per cent; due to the fact that the base houses a larger number of U.K. personnel, who use the training facilities more than their Canadian counterparts.

CFB Suffield’s facilities are used by British Army Training Unit Suffield and Defence Research Development Canada – Suffield.

The approximate total cost of the range control building is $7.4 million, while the approximate cost of the fire hall is $8.8 million.

The Government of Canada is also contributing more than $1.1 million towards a variety of other upgrades to infrastructure throughout CFB Suffield.

The range control building will function as a multi-purpose facility that will be equipped with offices, administration areas, accommodations for duty staff, garages for equipment and vehicle storage and will serve as the coordination centre for all military and ground traffic in the military training area.

The new 2,174 sq. m. fire hall will be built to accommodate an increased number of personnel, vehicles and equipment needed for CFB Suffield’s fire department.

Medicine Hat, Alta.-based Wahl Construction was awarded the contracts for the construction of the fire hall and range control facility, while seven other contracts were awarded to various Alberta and Saskatchewan-based companies for the other infrastructure upgrades.

The range control facility is scheduled for completion in August 2012 while the fire hall’s completion is set for September 2012.

Both facilities are scheduled for occupancy in the fall of 2012.

Minister of National Defence Peter McKay made the announcement on July 9.

CFB Suffield is more than 2,690 sq. km. and is one of the biggest live-fire training areas in the western world.