Federal government to shut down Arctic naval refuelling base

The federal government has decided to shut down a naval facility that was meant to act as a landmark of Canadian sovereignty as well as a refuelling station in the high Arctic.The Nanisivik Naval Facility, located on Baffin Island in Nunavut, was first endorsed and funded in 2007 by the then-Conservative government of Stephen Harper.The site was initially seen to be a statement of Canadian sovereignty in the high Arctic, but with a scaled-down final product and advancements in Canada's Arctic naval fleet, the facility is now seen as not fit for purpose.The initial 2007 plan was for a year-round fuel storage station with an airstrip and permanent accommodation for around 15 staff, which would act as the arctic hub for the then-future arctic patrol ships.However, due to budget constraints, the plan was scaled back to a shell of the initial plan, and with the realization that the new Arctic patrol ships can remain at sea longer than initially anticipated, the station lost much of its tactical capabilities.Recent statements regarding the facility also indicated that, even if fully fleshed out, the refuelling station would only be operational for around four weeks per year..The funds initially earmarked for the naval facility will reportedly be redirected into other Northern infrastructure projects.According to The Globe and Mail, sources have confirmed the facility will be dismantled and the government will conduct environmental remediation.With the initial success of the Harry DeWolf-class arctic patrol ships, the plan to purchase up to a dozen under-ice-capable submarines, and the planned procurement of new, near-arctic-capable "Continental Defence Corvettes," the need for a stationary base has been deemed unnecessary.The navy is also apparently ruminating about the procurement of ice-capable amphibious landing ships to act as mobile bases in the Arctic, giving even less of a reason to repair and maintain the Nanisivik facility.Sources have told The Globe that it would cost as high as an estimated $250 million to fix the wharf, which would be in addition to the over $107 million that has already been spent on the facility.The decision to pull the plug on Nanisivik comes amid a planned reinvestment in Canadian Arctic military capabilities, with the facility on Baffin Island seemingly viewed as too much cost for too little return.

Federal government to shut down Arctic naval refuelling base

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