CFB Uplands

Updated on Dec 31, 2023

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Airport type Military Year built 1942		Province Ontario Owner Government of Canada

Operator Department of National Defence Location Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Website Canadian Forces Base Uplands Occupants Canada Reception Centre Lounge

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Canadian Forces Base Uplands (also CFB Uplands) was a Canadian Forces Base located in Ottawa, Ontario. Most of the land which formed the base was transferred to the Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport after the base was closed in the 1990s. Several military units continue to exist at the former base and the Canadian Forces continues to maintain military housing at the site. The former base is now known formally as "Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) - Uplands Site."

CFB Uplands Gallery CFB Uplands NRC Uplands gt CFIFA on NRC Uplands gt CFB

Rejean cfb uplands ottawa ontario 15 octobre 1978

History

CFB Uplands Camping Canadian RCAF Station Uplands Cold War Quick Reaction

The Royal Canadian Air Force established RCAF Station Uplands as a wartime training station of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in 1942. The "No. 2 Service Flying Training School" (SFTS) was located at the base from August 1942 to April 1947, which was one of two RCAF facilities in the national capital region; the other being RCAF Station Rockcliffe. When Sabre fighters became operational in 1952, Uplands became the primary Ottawa air base since Sabres couldn't operate from the small Rockcliffe runways.

During the Cold War period of the 1950s, the station was home to several operational squadrons including 416 Squadron, 439 Squadron, 422 Squadron, 428 Squadron, 434 Squadron, 412 (Transport) Squadron, 436 (Transport) Squadron and 410 Squadron.

CFB Uplands 109159 CC109 RCAF 412 Squadron CFB Uplands Stuart Freer

RCAF Station Uplands was also the location for the No. 3 Air Movement Unit, as well as the Central Experimental and Proving Establishment (later renamed the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment), which moved to Uplands from Rockcliffe in 1957.

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The reorganization and unification of the Canadian Armed Forces in the late 1960s saw RCAF Station Uplands renamed Canadian Forces Base Uplands (CFB Uplands) in 1968. In 1972 the facility was redesignated as Canadian Forces Base Ottawa (South) or CFB Ottawa (South) as part of DND's amalgamation of Ottawa area defence properties into CFB Ottawa. Despite this change, the Uplands name remained in popular usage through to the base's eventual decommissioning.

During the 1970s, the base hosted 450 (Heavy Transport) Squadron (later redesignated 450 Transport Helicopter Squadron) and 426 (Transport Training) Squadron. 450 was one of two squadrons using CH-47 Chinooks. Other units included the Canadian Forces Support Unit Ottawa, and the Canadian Forces Airborne Sensing Unit, a detachment of 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron based at CFB North Bay.

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The introduction of the "wing concept" within Air Command in 1993 resulted in CFB Ottawa (South) hosting 7 Wing as its primary lodger unit. Following the end of the Cold War, the Canadian Forces underwent major budget cuts and reorganization, resulting in several bases being closed during the mid-1990s, one of which was all of CFB Ottawa; CFB Ottawa (North) being the former CFB Rockcliffe and CFB Ottawa (South) being the former CFB Uplands.

In 2007, The Polish Embassy rededicated a plaque to Canada's Air Force for providing humanitarian aid to Poland at the end of World War II during a ceremony held at the Our Lady of the Airways Chapel at the entrance of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Uplands. The plaque had been placed at CFB Rockcliffe from 1947 until 1994 when the base was shut down.

Current status

The Uplands facility was decommissioned as a base in 1996. However the buildings and tarmac remain the property of the Canadian Forces. The Canada Reception Centre is located on the former CFB Uplands.

The area continues to be informally referred to as a "base" or "Canadian Forces Base Uplands" by some military personnel. Its official title is "Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) - Uplands Site."

Governance

As of May 2013 the former base is administered by the Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa). Similar to military bases still in operation, the commanding officer of CFSU (Ottawa) has duties similar to the base commander of a base and the chief warrant officer of CFSU (Ottawa) has duties similar to a base chief warrant officer.

Units operating out of Uplands

A number of units parade or operate out of the former base's existing infrastructure, and some new buildings have been constructed to accommodate military units operating in Ottawa. These units include:

The Central Band of the Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces Crypto Support Unit

No. 412 VIP Transport Squadron

30th Field Artillery Regiment

Housing

To accommodate the growing number of personnel being stationed at what was then RCAF Uplands, Order in Council PC 1961-10/10-94, dated 26 Jan 1961, authorized the Department of National Defence to build housing over approximately 45 acres of land. As a result, over 700 homes were built, varying between single-level bungalows and townhouses. Both models of homes have three bedrooms, one bathroom, and an unfinished basement. The terms of the agreement were for a period of 50 years and in 2011 the agreement was confirmed as continuing the status quo.

As of May 2013 many of the houses continue to stand in their original condition, with over 500 military members and their families currently living in them. Responsibility for the houses is divided between the Self Help Housing Organization and the Canadian Forces Housing Agency. Both SHHO and CFHA housing is rented under a minimum one-year lease and payment is made through direct payroll deductions of a military member's pay.

Rent controversy

In April 2013 the CBC published an article noting that the rent for military members living on the former base was being increased by more than would legally be allowed under Ontario law. Rent for military housing originally was geared towards a member's rank and income. Self Help Housing Organization homes are made available to junior non-commissioned members (Privates to Master Corporals) while Canadian Forces Housing Agency homes are made available to military members of any rank.

The publicly posted rent increase notice raised the monthly rent to $844 per month starting in July 2013. Military members and their families complained that this increase was unfair and unsustainable, considering a) the military member's pay increase for that year was only 1.5 percent while the rent increase was 4 percent; and b) the rental units still being in the same condition as when they were built in 1962 did not justify such a high price. As well, rent in 2003 was only $550 per month resulting in a significant increase in rent in a relatively short time period. The military and housing organizations did not respond to the article.

Rent until 2003 also included natural gas and electricity. In 2003, as the first rent increase began, tenants were also required to start paying their own utilities. SHHO replaced all the windows starting in 2003 however, with 1962 military building codes, many tenants reported substantial heating bills due to poor insulation and lowest bidder workmanship which left the windows improperly installed and sealed.