Last month, Defence Construction Canada (DCC) was on hand for the groundbreaking of the new Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Transition Centre at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden.
The new, nearly 1,300 m2 facility will be purpose-built to support CAF members and their families, as they transition from active duty. The structure will have interview rooms, counselling and therapy spaces, and will be located adjacent to the base’s medical facility.
“The goal is to provide a ‘one stop shop’, one location where CAF members and their families can get the transition support they need,” says James Gamble, DCC Team Leader, Construction Services, Borden. “We’ve connected the parking lots of the medical facility and transition centre for easy access.”
The building is set to replace aging and outdated infrastructure, and is purpose-built, for transition services. Previously, these support services were dispersed around the base in facilities not specifically designed to accommodate them. It’s part of a slate of new transition centres at bases across the country, including planned projects at Canadian Division Support Base (CDSB) Edmonton and CFB Shilo.
As this is a capital project, DCC has been working with the Assistant Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Environment, along with local engineering and Real Property Operations teams. Valued at over $17 million, the project is being delivered using a modified design build (MDB) approach, meaning one contractor is responsible for both design and construction.
“The MDB approach is a more efficient model for larger or multi-phase contracts, since the contractor is involved at every step and can be more flexible if changes are required,” says James. “That’s one reason DCC is utilizing this unique delivery model more often—these efficiencies can lead to improved schedule performance and faster delivery times compared to traditional models.”
The new facility is designed, modelled, and constructed in compliance with net-zero technical requirements. It also includes an Indigenous Benefits Plan, ensuring approximately 5% of the work is subcontracted to Indigenous-owned and operated businesses.
Construction will continue throughout 2027, with the centre expected to be fully operational by June 2028. However, James says the team is currently ahead of schedule, due to the collaboration and cooperation between all stakeholders.
