Backgrounder
17 Wing Consolidation Project at CFB Winnipeg
BG-03.043 - July 11, 2003
Introduction
In 2001, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) issued a directive for the consolidation of Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg and the relocation of 2 Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI) to CFB Shilo. The departure of 2 PPCLI has afforded the Canadian Forces the opportunity to consolidate resources on the north side of the base and designate the south side for disposal by the Canada Lands Company.
The south side of CFB Winnipeg consists of 49 buildings. Of these, 2 PPCLI and related organizations occupied 26. The remaining buildings are, on average, at least 45 years old and are in need of significant repairs. Consolidating these organizations in newer, modern facilities on the north side of the base will dramatically increase operational efficiency and will also serve to alleviate overcrowding in some existing facilities.
17 Wing, CFB Winnipeg
17 Wing is comprised of a number of units that support and conduct flying operations and a variety of training functions. The Wing also provides technical and logistical support for 113 units, stretching from Thunder Bay to Shilo, and from the 49th parallel to the high Arctic. Units in the Wing include 402 Squadron, 435 Squadron (Strategic Airlift, SAR) and 1 Air Movements Squadron (Air Transport). The Wing also supports 440 Squadron, located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School. In addition, the Wing runs several aviation schools; the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School, the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Studies, the Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training and the Canadian Forces School of Meteorology.
17 Wing Consolidation
17 Wing Consolidation has as its core goal the relocation of residual 17 Wing integral and lodger units from the south side of CFB Winnipeg to the north side, subsequent to the relocation of 2 PPCLI to CFB Shilo. The units affected by this consolidation include Wing Electrical-Mechanical Engineers (WEME), Transport, Supply, 38 Brigade HQ and Regional Cadet Support Unit (Prairie) Detachment (RCSU(P) Det). The organizations involved in this consolidation program will be grouped according to function, leadership organization or by similar type of facility requirement into a logistics complex, a Wing Telecommunications and Information Services Squadron (WTISS) facility, and a Wing headquarters/office facility.
The first phase of the consolidation will see the construction of a logistics complex, a 16,420-square-metre facility that will house the Wing supply, transport and engineering maintenance units.
Further phases will see the construction of a separate 2,440-square-metre WTISS building and a 1,700 square-metre headquarters facility that will house the Wing headquarters, RCSU(P) headquarters and the Directorate of Civilian Human Resources (Prairie).
There will also be a number of smaller projects involved in the consolidation. The current Wing headquarters building (Building 86) will be renovated to become the headquarters for 38 Brigade, and the former WTISS facility (Building 52) will similarly be renovated to house RCSU(P) Det.
Conclusion
The 17 Wing Consolidation project will serve to both reorganize and consolidate the resources of 17 Wing, CFB Winnipeg in a more concentrated and efficient way. Previously separated units will be incorporated by function into modern and cutting edge facilities. More effective use of space will ease the overcrowding of existing units. The project itself will be conducted in several parts and should be completed in 2005. The end result of this consolidation will be significant cost-savings and improvements in unit cohesion.
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