New accommodations facility at CFB Esquimalt and plan to build more homes on military bases

[OceanBonfire]

...

It will include approximately 480 single occupancy rooms, administrative areas, a dining area and galley capable of serving 700 people, a mess that can support 400 people, postal services, coffee shops, and more.

...

Minister Blair reiterated that Budget 2024 makes additional investments for the Department of National Defence to build and renovate housing for CAF personnel on bases across Canada. This will support the construction of up to 1,400 new homes and the renovation of an additional 2,500 existing units for CAF members on base in communities such as Esquimalt, Edmonton, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, and Gagetown. Building more on-base housing will not only help meet the housing needs of military personnel but also help address housing demand in surrounding communities, since fewer military personnel will require rentals in these areas.

Minister Blair also highlighted the federal government’s national effort to unlock more public lands for housing.

...

National Defence announces new military housing complex in B.C.

The Department of National Defence has awarded a contract to design a new, 480-unit military housing complex at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, near Victoria, as part of a nationwide effort to build and upgrade thousands of housing units for the Canadian Armed Forces.

bc.ctvnews.ca

Minister Blair announces contract award for new 480-room military accommodations facility at CFB Esquimalt and highlights plan to build more homes on military bases - Canada.ca

Minister Blair announces contract award for new 480-room military accommodations facility at CFB Esquimalt and highlights plan to build more homes on military bases

www.canada.ca

 

[Navy_Pete]

Does anyone know if this is new, additional housing or replacing the old shacks that have been uncondemed/recondemned a few times, as well as the messes that are literally falling into the ocean?

It's good news as Victoria is particularly brutal, but if the dumbasses charge 'fair market value' it still won't be affordable.

 

[dapaterson]

Replacing Nelles is my understanding.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Does anyone know if this is new, additional housing or replacing the old shacks that have been uncondemed/recondemned a few times, as well as the messes that are literally falling into the ocean?

It's good news as Victoria is particularly brutal, but if the dumbasses charge 'fair market value' it still won't be affordable.

Article says that it replacing Nelles Block. I am not sure if it is actually an increase in suites.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Replacing Nelles is my understanding.

They'll need all that new accommodation for the sailors filling up those 12 submarines

 

[PuckChaser]

1950s buildings, must be nice. Priority for shacks for jr NCMs in high cost areas is great, but there's way older buildings in the CAF (queue PRes restructure dogwhistle...)

 

[Fabius]

Replacement not additional it seems.
Completed in the early 2030s so not a solution for near term but still important.
Single occupancy rooms vs single bedroom apartments. Interesting conventional choice that seems limiting unless this is more for pers in the training system vs not. We likely need both types I suppose.

It’s not unimportant but honestly I don’t see it as an investment in additional capacity simply an overdue maintenance of existing capacity.

 

[MilEME09]

We really need faster solutions for the CAF housing crisis. I think a cheap solutions would be the tiny home concept, as well as pre fab homes. The average tiny home can be built in 6 weeks, mass produce them and you could probably ship a lot of units really quickly. Ditto for using prefab homes for PMQs. All it takes is political will and money.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Replacing Nelles is my understanding.

Whoa whoa whoa... In my Navy Officers go first.

What is this heresy ?

 

[dapaterson]

Whoa whoa whoa... In my Navy Officers go first.

What is this heresy ?

The wardroom at Naden is still "new" in DND infrastructure terms...

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Replacement not additional it seems.
Completed in the early 2030s so not a solution for near term but still important.
Single occupancy rooms vs single bedroom apartments. Interesting conventional choice that seems limiting unless this is more for pers in the training system vs not. We likely need both types I suppose.

It’s not unimportant but honestly I don’t see it as an investment in additional capacity simply an overdue maintenance of existing capacity.

That's an embarrassing timeline and I'm being kind.

If Accommodations are an issue, there are plenty of prefab and modular solutions that could be built rapidly. The CAF owns a bunch of land. Drop some prefabs on it for the troops and get a bus service going.

 

[RangerRay]

Surely they can find the blueprints for these puppies? I think half the houses in Winnipeg’s post-war neighbourhoods use this design.

Strawberry box house - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Surely they can find the blueprints for these puppies? I think half the houses in Winnipeg’s post-war neighbourhoods use this design.

Strawberry box house - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Sodexo catering and facilities management services for Energy & Resources

Sodexo is helping leaders in the energy and resources industry to create safe and comfortable environments both off and on the job.

ca.sodexo.com

 

[Halifax Tar]

Surely they can find the blueprints for these puppies? I think half the houses in Winnipeg’s post-war neighbourhoods use this design.

Strawberry box house - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Post war story and a half.

I live in one. Great little house.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

That's an embarrassing timeline and I'm being kind.

If Accommodations are an issue, there are plenty of prefab and modular solutions that could be built rapidly. The CAF owns a bunch of land. Drop some prefabs on it for the troops and get a bus service going.

My understanding is that pre-fabs/ATCO style might be required in some places to bridge the gap until new, permanent quarters can be built.

 

[Remius]

Post war story and a half.

I live in one. Great little house.

Wasn’t that described as a shack not too long ago?

 

[SeaKingTacco]

The wardroom at Naden is still "new" in DND infrastructure terms...

The Wardroom in Esquimalt is actually at Dockyard, not Naden.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Wasn’t that described as a shack not too long ago?

It is, its small, very small.

But its probably what we should be building right now, if we want to keep going with single family homes. I know the HRM City Council seems to believe that the future is in density, apartments and condos.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

The Wardroom in Esquimalt is actually at Dockyard, not Naden.

Let's just agree that it's at CFB Esquimalt.

 

[Bluebulldog]

To be fair. This project is for the replacement of existing. There is also an open solicitation on MERX for NEW modular accommodations at Esquimalt closing on 14AUG.

ROM estimate is $38M.

So new, as well as replacements.