CFB Shilo projects bring windfall for local contractors

A new ammunition compound is planned at Canadian Forces Base Shilo at a cost between $200 and $300 million.

Preparations are underway to build the compound, CFB Shilo commanding officer Lt.-Col. Jack Nguyen told the Sun last week. A timeline has not been released, however a Defence Construction Canada (DCC) representative tentatively said that the project will take shape in the next five years.

“It’s needed infrastructure,” Nguyen said. “We’re already starting the process. We’re already on the ground doing ground clearance.”

The new compound would be located in the base’s training area, and would be supported by new road developments. The compound will replace an existing compound that is across Highway 340 from CFB Shilo — and currently needs to be accessed via a public road.

The ammunition project is one of many that are expected in the coming years at the base as a result of Canada’s commitment to increase its defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035. The commitment has risen program spending at CFB Shilo from “tens of millions” per year to “hundreds of millions,” Cameron Nykoliation, DCC team leader of programs at CFB Shilo, told a crowd last week during a presentation.

The DCC hosted a meeting on Sept. 17 at the Victoria Inn and Suites to inform members of the construction industry on upcoming opportunities at CFB Shilo, and to introduce members to federal procurement requirements. The base’s growth is expected to produce work for “every” trade, with mechanical, civil, structural, electrical, plumbing and finishing trades noted on the slideshow at the DCC’s meeting.

Nykoliation said the upcoming six to 18 months will see a lot of major projects scheduled on the base.

“Theres some massive projects coming,” Nykoliation said. “We want local industry involved in this. That’s why we’re hosting this.”

For the ammunition compound, Nykoliation said, “We expect that we will be doing some infrastructure work soon,” and called it “a big, exciting infrastructure project for Shilo.”

Several contractors told the Sun at the meeting they plan to apply for security clearance with DCC so they can bid on upcoming work. Several said they believe the dollar value of incoming work is significant.

A new facility expected to be more than 20,000 square metres was included in forecasted projects at CFB Shilo. The construction timeline was not available as of last week, nor was an estimated cost. The facility is not yet official.

The facility would be used for gunners as a result of newly procured HIMARS rockets coming to CFB Shilo, Nguyen said. The current 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery building would be used by the soldiers associated with the HIMARS rockets, and gunners using artillery equipment would move into the new facility, Nguyen said.

Five 40-plex apartment buildings were also included in the list of upcoming projects, as well as the road and infrastructure work required to support them.

Between several forecasted projects, about $700 million of work is expected in the next 10 years at CFB Shilo, Shawn Wood, executive director of the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, told the Sun.

“I would say this is the biggest influx of federal money in the Brandon area and the construction area as far back as I remember,” Wood said.

Wood said the work appears to be spread fairly evenly across the board, offering opportunities for all types of trades professionals.

Speaking about the crowd of about 75 that showed up last week, Wood said, “I think it shows we have interest from the industry.”

Wood said that the event “makes it seem more real” that work is coming and contractors should prepare for it. He said that as a result of the meeting, he believes more contractors will apply for security clearance to work on DCC projects.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com