Established in 1929, CFB Trenton has traditionally been an air base, home to the 8 Wing unit, and it is one of Canada’s primary launching sites for military missions abroad. The base is now undergoing a major expansion that will add the Land Advanced Warfare Centre (a multi-functional training and administrative campus), as well as new hangers and runways to accommodate additional aircraft, and a new fire hall. It will also see the relocation of the elite Joint Task Force 2 to the base, and the addition of a hazardous material transfer facility, among other construction and reconstruction components. Substantial upgrades to the natural gas service and an expansion of the electrical service are underway. The project involves acquiring an additional 401 hectares of land—a move that has been controversial as it involves expropriating neighbouring farms, some more than 200 years old. The 10-year expansion program has already begun construction, with several components already complete. In July 2021, a construction contract began, repaving of a 3-kilometre runway and taxiway. The main taxiway was closed and then upgraded to become a temporary runway in time for the active runway to close in mid-September. A thick layer of both 20-year-old asphalt surfaces was ground off to allow underlying cracks to be filled prior to new asphalt being laid. In addition, 1,000 small repairs were made to the 300-metre concrete turning area at the east end of the runway. Painted airfield markings were added in mid-November, before freeze-up. These repairs will extend the life of these essential airfield arteries until a complete rebuild is possible.
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