CFB Edmonton

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Canadian Forces Base Edmonton[1]
CFB Edmonton / Template:Nativename
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1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at CFB Edmonton
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Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerDepartment of National Defence
OperatorDepartment of National Defence
LocationSturgeon County, near Edmonton, Alberta
Built1955
CommanderLieutenant-Colonel John Southen
Occupants3rd Canadian Division
Time zoneMST (UTC−07:00)
 • Summer (DST)MDT (UTC−06:00)
Elevation AMSL2,257 ft / 688 m
CoordinatesLua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.
WebsiteCanadian Forces Base Edmonton
Map
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Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
03H/21H 148 x 492 Template:Cvt Asphalt
Source: Canada Flight Supplement[2]
Environment Canada[3]

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Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton,[4] commonly referred to as CFB Edmonton[1] is a Canadian Forces base in Sturgeon County adjacent to the City of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Edmonton Garrison[1] or "Steele Barracks", and listed in the Canada Flight Supplement as "Edmonton/Namao Heliport".[2]

File:CYED airside.jpg
Helipads, and airside air traffic control tower, at CFB Edmonton

History

The history of CFB Edmonton begins at an airfield called Blatchford Field,[5] a few kilometres south from where CFB Edmonton would eventually be established. The airfield was established in 1927 as a private and commercial interest by bush pilots, with support from the mayor of Edmonton, airfield namesake Kenny Blatchford, opening a few months after he ended his term as mayor with his election as a member of Parliament representing the city. The airfield became important to the opening up and development of the Canadian north, while also cementing Edmonton's place as the "Gateway to the North".

During the Second World War, Blatchford Field became a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) training station under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. No. 16 Elementary Flying Training School (No. 16 EFTS) and No. 2 Air Observers School (No. 2 AOS) used the aerodrome. The RCAF also ran No. 4 Initial Training School (No. 4 ITS) which was a ground school at the University of Alberta.[6] No. 16 EFTS closed in 1942, and No. 2 AOS closed in 1944. After No. 2 AOS closed, the station formally became known as RCAF Station Edmonton. Many RCAF squadrons and units were located here, including a survival school and the RCAF Winter Experimental Establishment (WEE). A United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-29 bomber detachment also used the station.[7]

During the war, the airfield was a major factor in supporting the Allies of World War II, becoming a staging point for the U.S. defence of Alaska, as well as a major waypoint of the Northwest Staging Route supplying equipment and aircraft to the Soviet military. Aircraft had to be ferried, and transport aircraft used the aerodrome to support the construction of the Alaska Highway. Air traffic increased significantly, and flying activities were becoming hazardous. Since the old airfield could not be expanded because of its proximity to the city of Edmonton, the U.S. Government built a new air facility at Namao, about 11 km (6.8 mi) north of the city. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built two runways at the base, 03/21 and 12/30, both 2,100 m (6,890 ft) long and Canada's longest at the time.[8] The Americans ran the Namao airfield until the end of the war when the Canadian government took it over. With time, RCAF Station Edmonton also developed severe limitations at Blatchford, and on 1 October 1955 all RCAF Squadrons and support units were transferred to the "new" RCAF Station Namao. Blatchford Field was turned over to the Edmonton municipal government and became the commercial Edmonton City Centre (Blatchford Field) Airport.[9]

During the Cold War, RCAF Station Namao was used by the United States Strategic Air Command, which constructed a "nose dock" for servicing the nose and wings of heavy jet bombers and tankers on the south side of the airfield. The station also hosted the Edmonton Rescue Coordination Centre, and served as home base for UN Food Aid flights, delivering aid to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Bosnia. Because Namao at that time had a 4,200-metre (13,780 ft) runway, 12/30, NASA designated it an emergency Space Shuttle landing site.[8]

In 1968, when Canada's armed services were amalgamated, RCAF Station Namao was re-designated Canadian Forces Base Edmonton (Lancaster Park) and was under command of the new Air Transport Command and later Air Command.[10]

Federal budget cuts forced the command of the air station to be transferred to Land Force Command in 1994. CFB Edmonton (Lancaster Park)/18 Wing Edmonton was re-designated CFB Edmonton.[11][5]

Although both runways are still visible they are no longer in use except for a 148 ft × 492 ft (45 m × 150 m) section of 03/21 used by helicopters.[2]

In 2010–2011, the Government of Canada announced the construction of new facilities for visiting Canadian Armed Forces members training at CFB Edmonton.[12]

In April 2025, the units that constituted CFB Edmonton (Operations Service, Technical Services, Personnel Services, and Corporate Services) were re-combined into CFB Edmonton. This reversed a change that had taken place in 2013, which had split the base into several units.[13]

Units

These units are headquartered at CFB Edmonton:

Today

The principal function of the CFB Edmonton today is to field a general-purpose combat-effective mechanized brigade group, or any portion thereof, ready for deployment to a minimal-intensity battlefield in accordance with assigned tasks.[18]

CFB Edmonton is the headquarters of 3rd Canadian Division, the highest army authority in western Canada, and 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG), the only Regular Force brigade group in the region. The base is at Steele Barracks (named for Sir Sam Steele) just north of the city. The area formerly known as CFB Griesbach within the city itself is no longer operational. All buildings and land were sold and are no longer Crown assets. The final closure was announced by Minister Peter MacKay in 2012.[19] The base as a collective is an important part of the community surrounding Edmonton and is home to some of the most prestigious and experienced units in the Canadian Military.[19][20]

The 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, along with elements of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (all part of 1 CMBG) were chosen to be a part of Canada's military response to the September 11, 2001 attacks and were deployed on combat operations to Afghanistan (including Operation Anaconda[21]) in 2001 and 2002. Units from the base were deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, as part of the Canadian Forces command takeover in that area as well. Units from Edmonton were also deployed on domestic operations such as to assist with the Red River Flood in 1997 (where the entire 1 CMBG was deployed)[22][23] and, more recently, as a part of Operation Peregrine[24] in response to the forest fires in British Columbia in 2003. Units from CFB Edmonton were also deployed on numerous peacekeeping operations, including to Bosnia and Kosovo, among others.[25]

At the end of March 2010 there were 4,237 regular military, 905 reserve Class A, B, and C forces, and 665 civilian workers at CFB Edmonton.[18] CFB Edmonton has around one-third of the Canadian army's fighting power.[26]

In February 2012, the Alberta government, the federal government and military officials in Ottawa and Edmonton discussed the use of the runway for medical evacuation flights with the planned closure of Edmonton City Centre Airport. Alberta Deputy Premier Doug Horner said that he had spoken with the Minister of National Defence, Peter MacKay, and the Minister of Public Works, Rona Ambrose, for further discussion.[27] It was ultimately decided to operate all medical flights out of a purpose-built facility at the Edmonton International Airport.[28]

On June 7, 2013, the base hosted the raising of a rainbow flag to kick off Edmonton Pride, the first time[29] that the flag was flown on a Canadian military base.[30]

CFB Edmonton also participated in Operation Unifier in Ukraine, 2015–2016.[31][32][33][34]

In August 2016 CFB Edmonton troops joined the NATO mission in Poland, Operation Reassurance.[35][36]

Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks (CFSPDB)

CFB Edmonton is also the location for Canada's only military prison. The prison hosts all military offenders serving disciplinary sentences longer than 14 days. Prisoners are forbidden to speak with other inmates, smoke or have visitors until they earn 112 marks, which are given out at a maximum of eight per day, but fewer for misbehaviour.[37] In 2018 the number of inmates had declined, and the 25-cell prison sat empty most of the time.[37]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CFB Edmonton - Canadian Army". www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca. Government of Canada, National Defence, Canadian Army. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Template:CFS
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Canada, Environment and Climate Change (10 January 2018). "Environment and Climate Change Canada". aem.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.National Defence, Canadian Army (25 February 2013). "3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton". www.canada.ca.
  5. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CFB Edmonton - Army Technology". army-technology.com. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. ^ Wings Over Alberta - No. BCATP Site Locations Retrieved: 2010-09-22
  7. ^ Canadian Military History Script error: No such module "webarchive". Retrieved: 2010-09-22
  8. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CFB Namao". Alberta Online Encyclopedia - Alberta's Aviation Heritage. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RCAF Air Base". Alberta Online Encyclopedia - Alberta's Aviation Heritage. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CFB Edmonton".
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ALBERTA – Canadian Military History". militarybruce.com. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Canada, Employment and Social Development (12 August 2014). "New accommodations for visiting Canadian Armed Forces members training at 3rd Canadian Division Support Base (3 CDSB) Edmonton". gcnws.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Defence, National (16 May 2025). "Changes come to 3 CDSG as CFB Edmonton and CFB Wainwright are reborn". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.National Defence, Canadian Army (25 February 2013). "3rd Canadian Division - Western Canada". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.National Defence, Canadian Army (25 February 2013). "1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.National Defence, Canadian Army (11 June 2013). "3rd Canadian Division Support Group". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.National Defence, Canadian Army (25 February 2013). "3rd Canadian Division Training Centre". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  18. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CFB/Garrison Edmonton - Economic Impact - National Defence - Canadian Forces". www.forces.gc.ca. Government of Canada, National Defence. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  19. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."National Defence - Canadian Armed Forces - Backgrounder - Minister MacKay Announces New Facility at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton". www.forces.gc.ca. Government of Canada, National Defence. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."TAKE A STROLL THROUGH HISTORY". www.villageatgriesbach.com. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."'Deadly' Canadian snipers cut down enemy fighters". The Globe and Mail. 14 March 2002. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Government of Canada, National Defence (25 February 2013). "1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group - Regular Force Brigade - Canadian Army". www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Red River Flood". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."News Release - Canadian Forces End Firefighting Operations in B.C." www.forces.gc.ca. Government of Canada, National Defence. 16 September 2003. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Government of Canada, National Defence (25 February 2013). "1 Combat Engineer Regiment - Regular Force regiment". www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cyber warfare, drones are new priorities, defence minister tells Edmonton troops". edmontonjournal.com. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Medivac flights may land at Edmonton Garrison". CBC News. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Alberta, Government of (21 January 2013). "New air ambulance base will provide quality care for northern Alberta patients". www.alberta.ca. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Parrish, Julia (7 June 2013). "A Canadian first, CFB Edmonton the first to fly gay pride flag". Edmonton.
  30. ^ "CFB Edmonton 1st base to raise gay-pride flag". CBC News, June 7, 2013.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Edmonton-based soldiers return from Ukraine deployment". Edmonton Sun. 12 September 2017.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Edmonton soldiers leave for 6-month mission to train Ukrainian troops - Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. 3 March 2017.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Canadian troops leaving Edmonton for Ukraine as part of Operation UNIFIER". Edmonton Sun. 2 August 2016.
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Defence, National (31 July 2015). "Operation UNIFIER". aem.
  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Defence, National (1 May 2014). "Operation REASSURANCE". aem.
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Edmonton troops join NATO mission in Poland". CBC News. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  37. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Canada's last military prison costs $2M a year. About half the time, it has no prisoners | Globalnews.ca". Global News.

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