History of Base Gagetown – Part 5: Now and into the Future

Today, 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown (5 CDSB Gagetown) is the largest military base in Eastern Canada and consists of two large formations, and numerous lodger units. The first formation, reporting to 5th Canadian Division in Halifax, NS, is the 5th Canadian Division Support Group, which overseas the daily functions of the base while providing personnel, operational, logistical, financial, safety, and environmental services to all divisional units across Atlantic Canada and parts of Eastern Ontario. The second formation, reporting to Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre in Kingston, ON, is the Combat Training Centre (CTC), which is the centre of excellence for Army individual training. The CTC consists of Canadian Army Trials and Evaluation Unit, the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School, the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School, the Infantry School, the Tactics School, and the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering.

There are also six operational units on base: 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment; 4th Artillery Regiment (General Support); 4 Engineer Support Regiment; 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron; C Squadron, The Royal Canadian Dragoons; and the Joint Meteorological Centre. More than a third of local military personnel are employed at these units where they train and prepare for deployments at home and abroad.

5 CDSB Gagetown continues to evolve in its roles and responsibilities, while also modernizing its training and infrastructure. On March 14, 2024, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veteran Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, announced that the Government of Canada is investing $55.6 million to upgrade 225 buildings on the base through an Energy Performance Contract. Projected to be completed in 2026, the upgrades will reduce the base’s energy costs by 24% or $3 million annually and reduce its green house gas emissions by over 8,700 tonnes per year – the equitant of taking more than 1,700 cars off the road. This project is expected to create more than 200 jobs in the Oromocto area during construction.

The Government of Canada is also investing $19.7 million to construct a 40-acre solar farm at 5 CDSB Gagetown. The solar farm will produce approximately 20% of the base’s electricity requirements, or the equivalent of enough to power 2,000 homes, and will help reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by about 3,200 tons per year. The goal of these investments is to create a healthier and greener environment for military personnel.

For some time now, 5 CDSB Gagetown has also been supporting the deployment of personnel and equipment to Enhanced Task Force Latvia and the transfer of vehicles–including tanks, armour, and support transport–to Ukraine. These efforts will continue for the foreseeable future, while the base also prepares for domestic operations such as Operation LENTUS in Atlantic Canada, with flood and wildfire seasons underway.

From its inception to now, 5 CDSB Gagetown has undergone numerous changes. Though its name, units, and structures may have changed, 5 CDSB Gagetown has always played an important role in the training and deployment of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and continues to hold a special place in the local community of Oromocto, NB, and the greater Atlantic Region.

2Lt Rachel Tapley