Gap Filler Detail

1961 – National Archives of Canada


SECRET

S10-136-80/5 TD 1279 (DCEC)

Nov 2, 1961

The Secretary,
The Treasury Board,
Department of Finance,
Ottawa, Ontario

Attention: Mr JA Mac Donald

Dear Sir:

Re: Gap Filler Radar Stations - Resiting

The Cabinet at its 9 December 1958 meeting agreed to a cost sharing plan whereby the RCAF would be responsible for all construction aspects of the Joint USAF/RCAF Air Defence Ground Program, while the USAF would provide the necessary technical equipment. The various requirements and implementation schedules for this program have been published in a Joint USAF/RCAF approved CADIN Document issue 2 dated 1 May 1961. This document states a requirement for a total of 45 Gap Filler Radars in Canada.

Treasury Board Minutes 569202 and 566358 both dated 29 September 1960 amended the previous Gap Filler approvals to include 38 sites at a cost of $8,076,000. Subsequently Treasury approved the construction of the remaining 7 sites at a cost of $861,000.00. (Minute 586139 dated 14 September 1961). Hence the total funds now approved for construction of the 45 Gap Fillers is $8,937,000.00.

Due to changes in the Joint USAF/RCAF CADIN operational requirements and Gap Filler siting criteria during the past two years, it has been found necessary to relocate 16 of the previously approved sites. The resiting requirements was referred to in para 2 (h) of our Treasury Board submission S10-136-80/5 TD 1229 (AMTS) dated 14 August, 1961. A summary of the changes in operational requirements which made this resiting necessary is attached as Appendix "A". Accordingly, 16 of the sites approved by Treasury Board Minute 566358, 29 September 1960, which do not conform to the revised CADIN siting and coverage criteria, must be deleted from the construction programs, and new sites substituted as follows:

Sites to be DeletedNew Sites Requiring Approval
 Approved Funds Estimated CostBOD
Alder River, NS154,000Beaver Tower, Que313,0001 Aug 62
Buckhorn, Ont115,000Brownrigg, Ont237,0001 Aug 62
Fort Francis, Ont164,000Gold Rock, Ont402,0001 Aug 62
Geraldton, Ont176,000Gowganda, Ont442,0001 Aug 62
Graham, Ont234,000Graham, Ont (relocated)386,0001 Aug 62
Lac des Loups, Que227,000L'Anse St Jean, Que590,0001 Jul 62
La Macaza, Que256,000L'Ascension, Que252,0001 Aug 62
Les Etroits, NB247,000Manitouwadge, Ont169,0001 Aug 62
Mt Carleton, NB325,000Mattawa, Ont238,0001 Aug 62
Mt Carleton, Que232,000Nishkotea Lake, Que261,0001 Jul 62
New Yarmouth, NS220,000Squatteck, Que199,0001 Jul 62
Portneuf, Que385,000St Adalbert, Que212,0001 Aug 62
Redditt, Ont153,000St Hedwidge, Que267,0001 Aug 62
Silver Falls, Ont152,000Taschereau, Que217,0001 Aug 62
St Cleophas, Que230,000Whitefish Lake, Ont354,0001 Jul 62
Ste Cecile, Que252,000White Brook, NB169,0001 Jul 62
Deleted Sites$3,532,000 $4,708,000 

The main factor accounting for cost in excess of $200,000.00 at any one site is the construction of access roads.

The problems associated with the siting of the Gap Fillers, resulting in the construction of access roads, were as follows:

  1. The sites had to be selected regardless of geographic locations in order to fill the gaps between the long range radars; this did not allow for any leaway with regards to selecting a location on or near existing roadways.

  2. Sites had to be selected so as to avoid interference with existing commercial micro-wave systems.

  3. In order to provide better coverage the sites were located on the highest ground in the area.

As an extreme example of the higher costs the access road at L'Anse St Jean entails the construction of ten miles of new road up a mountain, at an estimated cost of $400,000.00 for this portion of the work. This site had to be selected to fulfill the requirements as noted above.

Cost estimates for these 16 sites include site development, radar and power buildings, tower foundations, water and sewage, fuel storage, fencing and access roads. The buildings will be prefabricated steel 1,400 square feet for the radar building and 1,000 square feet for the power building including emergency living quarters. The radar tower will require constuction of the foundations only, since the tower itself will be provided by the USAF. Access roads are to be 10 foot gravel with 3 foot shoulders. In order to meet the BOD's shown above, it will be necessary to issue the projects to DCL prior to 31 December 1961.

Negotiations for land acquisition are being undertaken by DOT. Funds for the property requirements have been provided by Primary 80 (1961-62).

The estimated costs have been checked by appropriate RCAF authorities, and is considered reasonable and accurate.

The undersigned therefore recommends that authority b be granted:

  1. To delete the 16 Gap Filler Radar sites listed in Para 3 above (approved by Treasury Board Minute 566358 at $3,532,000, 29 September 1960, all sites are listed under serial number 1 with the exception of Lac des Loups which is listed serial number 2 and La Macaza listed under serial number 29) from the RCAF Construction Program.

  2. To construct 16 Gap Filler Radar sites (with individual cost estimates and relocation as shown in para 3 above at a total estimated cost of $4,708,000.00, all sites are listed under serial number 1.

  3. To transfer funds in the amount of $1,176,000.00 from Primary 83 (Unallotted) to Primary 81 (1961-62) Construction Program.

Funds are available from the Defence Services appropriations for the RCAF for the fiscal yar 1961-62.

Yours sincerely,

(EB Armstrong)
Deputy Minister

(CEF Underwood) W/C
CEC-2

(CL Ingles) G/C
DCEC

(RB Whiting) A/C
CCE

(JA Easton) A/V/M
AMTS

(IC Cornblat) A/V/M
for CAS