Royal Canadian Dragoons to receive new and enhanced facilities

An $80.6 million project to deliver new and enhanced facilities to the Royal Canadian Dragoons, the Canadian Army’s senior-most armoured regiment, was announced today by the Government of Canada.

The project will include renovations to three existing buildings and the replacement of eight obsolete buildings with a single, centralized 9,900-m2 facility. 

The new infrastructure will provide the Dragoons with enhanced vehicle maintenance, storage, logistics, and training areas to increase collaboration and support daily operations.

“This project represents a great investment for the Royal Canadian Dragoons, as well as the wider Ottawa Valley and Pontiac regions. By replacing ageing infrastructure with updated green facilities, we’re increasing our military’s capabilities, lowering our carbon footprint, and creating jobs and economic opportunities for Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec,” said William Amos, Member of Parliament for Pontiac while announcing the government’s new project. 

In addition to providing much-needed infrastructure support, the new facility will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standards and save an estimated $4.6 million in operations and maintenance costs over 40 years.

Thanks to this, and other similar projects, Defence will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and non-military vehicles by 40 per cent by 2030, and support the new federal emissions reduction target of 80 per cent by 2050.

“Through our defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, we are ensuring that the women and men of our Canadian Armed Forces have the tools, facilities and equipment they need to do the important work we ask of them. This project will provide Canadian Armed Forces members with enhanced logistics and training areas to support them in their daily operations. This new, modern infrastructure will also support our government’s commitment to fighting climate change while providing good, middle-class jobs for local residents,” said Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister. 

The new project is also expected to generate 225 jobs and pour capital into the local economy. 

After the initial design and planning phase, which will be completed in the fall of 2019, construction and renovations are expected to begin in spring 2020. The facility is expected to be completed in 2021.