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 Deleted		New Sites Requiring Approval
	Approved Funds		Estimated Cost	BOD
Alder River, NS	154,000	Beaver Tower, Que	313,000	1 Aug 62
Buckhorn, Ont	115,000	Brownrigg, Ont	237,000	1 Aug 62
Fort Francis, Ont	164,000	Gold Rock, Ont	402,000	1 Aug 62
Geraldton, Ont	176,000	Gowganda, Ont	442,000	1 Aug 62
Graham, Ont	234,000	Graham, Ont (relocated)	386,000	1 Aug 62
Lac des Loups, Que	227,000	L'Anse St Jean, Que	590,000	1 Jul 62
La Macaza, Que	256,000	L'Ascension, Que	252,000	1 Aug 62
Les Etroits, NB	247,000	Manitouwadge, Ont	169,000	1 Aug 62
Mt Carleton, NB	325,000	Mattawa, Ont	238,000	1 Aug 62
Mt Carleton, Que	232,000	Nishkotea Lake, Que	261,000	1 Jul 62
New Yarmouth, NS	220,000	Squatteck, Que	199,000	1 Jul 62
Portneuf, Que	385,000	St Adalbert, Que	212,000	1 Aug 62
Redditt, Ont	153,000	St Hedwidge, Que	267,000	1 Aug 62
Silver Falls, Ont	152,000	Taschereau, Que	217,000	1 Aug 62
St Cleophas, Que	230,000	Whitefish Lake, Ont	354,000	1 Jul 62
Ste Cecile, Que	252,000	White Brook, NB	169,000	1 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:

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

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.
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.
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