Air Defence in Falconbridge (site C-9, callsign Tomboy) began with the official opening of No. 209 RCAF Radio Station Falconbridge on 15 August 1952. The unit was located 14 miles north of the nickel producing city of Sudbury. The primary function of Falconbridge was to act as a Ground Control Intercept (GCI) station. An amendment to Organization Order 1002, dated 15 September 1952 and effective 1 October 1952, changed their name to 33 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, RCAF Station Falconbridge. This unit reported to No. 3 ADCC Edgar.
With the advent of SAGE in the early sixties, 33 AC&W's mission changed. They became 33 Radar Squadron in 1964 and the unit was reassigned to 23 NORAD Region, headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. The squadron was declared SAGE ready in 1963 and even though they now reported to the 23rd NORAD Region, their data was also fed to the NNR. 33 Radar Squadron Falconbridge was re-designated as CFS Falconbridge on 10 August 1967.
In 1968, the Air Defence Technician School (its predecessor being the Fighter Control Operator School) moved from CFS Lac St. Denis to North Bay. In March 1972, a detachment of the Air Weapons Control and Countermeasures School (AWC&CS) located in North Bay was set up at Falconbridge. The school taught the TQ-3 level (Trade Qualification - Basic) Air Defence Technicians Course.
Falconbridge became part of the Canada East ROCC, which was declared fully operational in August 1984. The station succumbed to technological advances and fell victim to the North American Air Defence Modernization program and subsequently the North Warning System. CFS Falconbridge ceased operations effective December 1985 and the station was closed on 1 November 1986.
Today the former station still exists, although the operations building perched above the domestic site overlooking Valley East is just a shell. Most of the PMQ's and trailer pads are occupied, but the rest of the station buildings sit idle./
The NBC Group - Don Nicks, John Bradley, Chris Charland.