Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters (CFNA HQ) Yellowknife is a

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

unit located in the city of

Yellowknife Yellowknife (; Dogrib: ) is the capital, largest community, and only city in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the ...

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

. Situated in Evans Building of the city of Yellowknife,Archived - Canadian Forces Northern Area
/ref> it is the headquarters for

Joint Task Force North Joint Task Force North (JTF North), formerly Joint Task Force Six (JTF-6), is a multi-service operation by the United States Department of Defense for counterdrug and anti-terrorist operations. JTF-North is headquartered at Biggs Army Airfield ...

,Joint Task Force North
/ref> part of

Canadian Joint Operations Command The Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC; french: links=no, Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada) is one of the two unified commands of the Canadian Armed Forces, the other one being the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command ...

responsible for Canadian Forces operations and administration in

Northern Canada Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada#Territories, territor ...

and the

Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

. There are 52 military and civilian personnel from 1 Canadian Rangers Patrol Group headquarters and 314 military and civilian personnel from Joint Task Force North currently stationed in Yellowknife responsible for coordinating military operations across of land in the Northwest Territories and

Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...

.$50M military defence building expected in Yellowknife by 2024
/ref>Canadian Forces to expand its presence in Yellowknife
/ref>

Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters Whitehorse Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters (CFNA HQ) Whitehorse is a detachment of the Canadian Forces, based approximately south of Whitehorse, Yukon. Canada's military has operated in the area since the days of the famous volunteer Yukon Fiel ...

has a similar responsibility in

Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...

. As of 2021 the current base Commander is Brigadier-General Pascal Godbout.

History

The Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters Yellowknife was established on 15 May 1970 to assist and maintain

Canadian sovereignty The sovereignty of Canada is a major cultural matter in Canada. Several issues currently define Canadian sovereignty: the Canadian monarchy, telecommunication, the autonomy of Canadian provinces, provinces, and Canada's Arctic border. Canada is a ...

north of the 60th parallel and support

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

operations in the north.

Associated units

CFNA Yellowknife is home to:Detachments and Units
/ref> *

* 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group *

440 Transport Squadron 440 Transport Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Armed Forces under the Royal Canadian Air Force. It is part of 8 Wing and works closely with Joint Task Force (North) located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Based at Yellowknife Airport ...

*Yellowknife Company,

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry), or L EDMN R, is a Primary Reserve infantry unit of the Canadian Armed Forces based in Edmonton, Alberta. The Loyal Edmonton Regiment is part of 3rd Canadian ...

*Area Support Unit (North)

Future headquarters expansion

In 2018, Department of National Defence spokesman Andrew McKelvey announced a new building project. Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters Yellowknife will see the construction of a building for some of the technical services elements of the

Area Support Unit, and the 1st Canadian Rangers Patrol Group. The overall project is estimated to cost between $50 and $99 million and will include: *offices *an assembly space, which will double as a

drill hall A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practise and perform military drills. Description In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, ...

*warehouse *garage space Construction is expected to start in the 2020-2021 time frame, with opening anticipated by 2024.

References

External links

Canadian Forces Northern Area440 Transport SquadronCanadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC)The Yellowknife Company / Loyal Edmonton Regiment and 1 Field Ambulance Detachment Yellowknife
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yellowknife Canadian Forces bases in the Northwest Territories