CMFMAG TeamBase Gagetown is receiving $55.6 million to upgrade 255 buildings on the base through an Energy Performance Contract.
The contract includes LED lighting upgrades, heat and energy recovery systems for heating and cooling equipment, high-efficiency boilers for heating, upgraded building envelopes, high-efficiency water fixtures, a new high-efficiency gas power generator, and geothermal technology.
Once completed in 2026, this project will reduce the base’s energy costs by 24 per cent or $3 million annually, said Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, while making the announcement at the base recently.
The project is expected to reduce the base’s GHG emissions by over 8,700 tonnes per year – the equivalent of taking more than 1,700 cars off the road.
Modernizations Benefit Military Members
“The modernizations to the Gagetown base will benefit our military members and make the base more sustainable in the long term,” said Min. Petitpas Taylor. “By supporting green projects like these, we’re investing in Atlantic Canada’s economic prosperity while developing local employees’ expertise in these new green technologies. This is an excellent step forward on our path to reduce emissions.”
This project, announced on March 14, 2024, is expected to create more than 200 jobs in the Oromocto area during construction. In addition, already-hired workers will be gaining new skills through training in the use of the upgraded equipment. Ameresco Canada Inc., from Richmond Hill, Ontario, has also been awarded this contract.
Minister Petitpas Taylor also announced a further investment of approximately $19.7 million to construct a solar farm with an output of up to 8.9 megawatts (MW) at the Gagetown military base. The federal government has also awarded this project to Ameresco Canada Inc.
Once completed in 2025, the solar farm is expected to power over two-thirds of the energy used during peak hours at the base, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by about 3,200 tonnes per year.
The farm will produce approximately 8,900 MW hours of electricity annually, which is about 20 per cent of Base Gagetown’s electricity requirements, or the equivalent of enough energy to power 2,000 homes.
Clean Electricity
The solar farm will help the Government of Canada fulfil its target of using 100 per cent clean electricity in all federal buildings by 2025 – and contribute to the federal government’s target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
This project is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the surrounding region, including Indigenous peoples. At least five per cent of the value of goods, services, and contracted labour will come from Indigenous-owned businesses and Indigenous peoples. The total project investment is estimated to be about $27.5 million, including construction and 25 years of operation, maintenance, life cycle and administrative costs, and more.
“We have an obligation to provide our military personnel with modern, green infrastructure that meets their needs – and that is exactly what we are doing with these investments,” added Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence. “These upgrades to our Gagetown military base will create hundreds of jobs and reduce our emissions – creating a healthier environment for our military personnel and all Canadians.”
The defence department reports that National Defence, together with the Canadian Armed Forces, have already reduced GHG emissions by 36 per cent across Canada, compared with 2005 levels. The Government of Canada plans to continue making investments to reduce the carbon footprint of defence infrastructure by powering military bases with clean electricity and improving the energy efficiency in our buildings.
Investing in Smart Projects
“Projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help save costs are good for the environment and good for the economy,” said Jenica Atwin, member of parliament for Fredericton. “As the Member of Parliament representing Base Gagetown, and as someone born and raised in Oromocto, I know that the people in this community care deeply about both making life more affordable and combatting the climate crisis. Investing in smart, effective projects like the solar farm and the energy-efficient upgrades will help us do that.”
Though the solar farm project, when complete, will be able to meet a significant portion of Base Gagetown’s electricity needs, DND will continue to purchase energy from New Brunswick Power for its remaining electricity needs at the base.
An EPC is a contract with an energy services company, where the company finances energy retrofit projects at a base or wing and guarantees the savings. DND then uses the savings from the reduction in our energy costs to pay back the company over a 5 to 15-year period, limiting upfront costs for the government. Base facilities remain fully functional during the project, with no impact on military operations.
For this EPC, the money saved in energy costs will be used to pay Ameresco Inc. back over 14 years, minimizing upfront costs and guaranteeing that the upgrades produce savings.
In addition to Gagetown, similar projects are underway at Borden, Kingston, Halifax, Greenwood, Valcartier, Esquimalt, and Petawawa, with similar contracts in development in Alert, Comox, Trenton, and Shilo.
