The Pinetree Line Gap Filler Sites


The RCAF gap-filler program was initiated in October 1959 and cancelled in January 1964.

We have obtained a significant number of RCAF Gap Filler Historical Reports from the National Archives of Canada. This detail has provided an opportunity to recreate the intent of the RCAF Gap Filler program but we have NOT been able to determine (with any degree of accuracy) exactly what happened during this period of time.

In early to mid 1959, the program appeared to be Canada wide - with sites proposed for both western and eastern Canada. The RCAF Gap Filler program was eventually approved in October 1959 but sites were limited to the eastern provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The number of approved sites fluctuated with the passing of time but the governmenteventually settled with 45. We know that that construction at some of the proposed gap-filler sites was eventually completed. Other locations were at various stages of construction when the program was cancelled in 1964. We have also been able to determine that construction had never started at about half of the proposed sites which had been planned "on paper". About 20 of the initially selected sites were subsequently relocated.

The RCAF gap-filler program was initiated in 1959 to provide coverage of areas not scanned by long-range Pinetree Line radar sites. These unmanned sites were to consist of two buildings and a single radar tower, often no more than 70 feet in height. Detail which has been obtained to date indicates that the RCAF gap-filler sites were to have made use of the FPS-18 radar equipment. The RCAF gap-filler program was deferred for a year in August of 1962 and the entire program was eventually cancelled in January 1964 when the Canadian government cut the budget for the RCAF. It is assumed that all of the gap-filler sites, both those completed and those that were still under construction, were eventually dismantled.


Gap Filler
Identification

Gap Filler
Location

Latitude

Longitude

Reports To

1962 Code

Remarks

CG1

Nobel, ON

45 25 28

80 05 40

Falconbridge, ON

C-9C

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG2

Nicolet, QC

56 08 56

72 39 15

Lac St. Denis, QC

C-2E

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG3

Tobermory, ON

45 13 25

81 38 14

Falconbridge, ON

C-9B

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG4

St. Joseph, NS

44 15 49

66 06 56

Barrington, NS

M-102B

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG5

Formosa, ON

43 55 50

81 00 24

Edgar, ON

C-4D

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG6

Scotch Settlement, NB

45 43 20

65 46 30

St. Margarets, NB

C-5A

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG7

Lac St. Marie, QC

45 56 124

75 51 047

Lac St. Denis, QC

C-2D

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG8

Algonquin Park, ON

45 33 51

78 33 40

Foymount, ON

C-3C

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG9

Elliot Lake, ON

46 23 10

82 37 17

Sault Ste. Marie AFS, MI, USA

P-66E

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG10

Oba, ON

48 59 094

85 56 347

Lowther, ON

M-119D

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG11

Chapleau, ON

47 54 08

85 23 35

Lowther, ON

M-119B

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG12

La Tuque, QC

47 12 35

73 12 27

Mont Apica, QC

C-1D

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG13

Todd Mountain, NB

46 32 329

66 42 034

St. Margarets, NB

C-5B

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962

CG14

Timmins, ON

48 32 10

81 32 16

Ramore, ON

C-10D

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG15

Belleterre, QC

47 21 25

78 40 54

Ramore, ON

C-10B

95% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG16

Nipigon, ON

49 01 26

88 26 27

Finland AFS, MN, USA

P-69E

10% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG17

Atikokan, ON

48 47 42

91 36 48

Sioux Lookout, ON

C-16B

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG18

Westport, ON

44 44 00

76 25 20

Foymount, ON

C-3A

Relocated. 50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG19

Biscotasing, ON

47 15 32

82 07 23

Lowther, ON

M-119C

50-75% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG20

Marathon, ON

48 44 40

86 35 00

Pagwa, ON

C-14B

10% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG21

Shemogue, NB

46 05 44

64 16 49

St. Margarets, NB

C-5C

Relocated from Mt. Carleton. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG22

Bridgetown, NS

44 51 40

65 20 55

Beaverbank, NS

C-11F

Relocated from New Yarmouth. 10% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG23

Hastings, ON

44 18 00

78 00 30

Edgar, ON

C-4E

Relocated from Buckhorn. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG24

Stoney Creek, ON

43 10 17

79 41 06

Lockport AFS, NY, USA

P-21E

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG25

Sparta, ON

42 43 30

81 06 12

Selfridge AFB, MI, USA

P-20E

10% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG26

Lucknow, ON

43 57 40

81 32 51

Edgar, ON

C-4F

Relocated from Redditt. 10% completed as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG27

Batchewana, ON

47 04 30

84 22 58

Sault Ste. Marie AFS, MI, USA

P-66C

10% completed as of 14 Sep 1962. Constructed

CG28

Eaglet River, ON

47 56 51

85 24 48

Sault Ste. Marie AFS, MI, USA

P-66D

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG29

L'Anse St. Jean, QC

48 01 20

70 22 39

Mont Apica, QC

C-1C

Relocated from Port Neuf. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG30

Summerville Centre, NS

45 58 42

64 50 30

Beaverbank, NS

C-11D

Relocated from Alder River, NS

CG31

L'Ascension, QC

46 47 20

74 50 54

Lac St. Denis, QC

C-2C

Relocated from La Macaza. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG32

Nishkotea Lake, QC

47 00 40

77 07 00

Senneterre, QC

C-8B

Relocated from Lac des Loups. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG33

Mattawa, ON

46 22 32

78 45 00

Foymount, ON

C-3E

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG34

Gowganda, ON

47 33 50

80 27 50

Ramore, ON

C-10C

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG35

Whitefish Lake, ON

48 09 40

89 56 48

Finland AFS, MN, USA

P-69F

Relocated from Silver Falls. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG36

Squatteck, QC

47 55 25

68 33 00

Caswell AFS, ME, USA

P-80G

Relocated from Les Etroits. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG37

Beaver Tower, QC

48 02 17

75 52 37

Senneterre, QC

C-8D

Reclocated from St. Cleophas. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG38

Taschereau, QC

48 43 12

78 42 25

Senneterre, QC

C-8C

No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG39

Gold Rock, ON

49 25 36

92 51 45

Sioux Lookout, ON

C-16C

Relocated from Ft Francis. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG40

Whites Brook, NB

47 41 50

67 11 18

Caswell AFS, ME, USA

P-80E

Relocated from Mt Carleton. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG41

Lac Luzon, QC

48 48 40

73 29 33

Mont Apica, QC

C-1E

-

CG42

Saint Adalbert, QC

46 50 10

69 54 22

Caswell AFS, ME, USA

P-80F

Relocated from St. Cecile. No work as of 14 Sep 62

CG43

Graham, ON

49 14 13

90 43 30

Sioux Lookout, ON

C-16A

Relocated.No work as of 14 Sep 62. Constructed

CG44

Manitouwadge, ON

49 09 00

85 50 00

Pagwa, ON

C-14C

Relocated from Geraldton. 10% completed as of 14 Sep 62

CG45

Father Lake

49 17 25

75 31 20

Chobougamau, QC

C-42A

Relocated from Island Falls, ON.

Gap Filler Sites identified as "deleted" on 18 September 1961.

Brampton, ON
Grand Fond, QC
London, ON
Marten River, ON
Rapides des Joachims, QC
St Charles de Bellechasse, QC


 

Updated: March 9, 2005