Canadian Forces Base Suffield, Alberta's sprawling military training facility, is poised for a significant increase in activity this summer as the Canadian Army expands operations at the country's largest training area.
Lt-General Michael Wright, commander of the Canadian Army, announced the expansion plans during the Defence Aerospace and Security Exhibition of Western Canada (DEFSEC West) on Thursday, highlighting the base's renewed importance in military operations.
"Suffield is a training base that we have not used very much over the past 10 or 11 years, but in an agreement between Canada and the United Kingdom, we're going to be starting to use it increasingly this summer," Wright told the defence trade show audience.
Massive Scale and Strategic Location
Located in southeastern Alberta near Medicine Hat, CFB Suffield spans nearly 2,700 square kilometres — more than three times the size of Calgary. The base's strategic value lies not only in its size but also in its capacity for large-scale military exercises and technology testing.
Wright emphasized that while the base will see increased activity, operations will not return to the massive scale of previous decades when thousands of troops regularly trained there. Instead, the focus will be on specialized training and serving as a testing hub for new military technology.
"It's fantastic to see, but we've also got some investments we need to make into CFB Suffield, like so many of our bases across the country," Wright said, though he did not specify the nature or scale of planned investments.
British Partnership Continues
The renewed activity builds on a decades-old partnership with the United Kingdom. Since the early 1970s, the British Army has utilized Suffield for armour training and exercises, sending thousands of troops to the Alberta base until COVID-19 disrupted operations in 2020.
Concerns arose in 2021 when reports suggested Britain might withdraw entirely from Suffield, with then-defence minister Ben Wallace indicating armoured training could be moved elsewhere. However, the UK government has since committed £17 million (approximately $31 million Canadian) to maintaining the British Army Training Unit Suffield.
UK Secretary of State for Defence Al Carns confirmed in January that Suffield continues to serve both training and experimentation purposes. Two British training missions are scheduled for 2025-26, with another planned for 2027.
"I won't speak for the British Army, but they're absolutely planning for increased use as well," Wright noted in an interview.
Supporting Canadian Forces
Beyond international partnerships, CFB Suffield remains vital for Canadian reserve units conducting training exercises. Some soldiers who train at the facility go on to join NATO missions, including the current deployment in Latvia.
The base's expansion aligns with broader Canadian defence modernization efforts and reflects the military's need for advanced training facilities capable of testing new technologies and preparing forces for contemporary security challenges.
Calgary residents interested in military developments and base operations can discuss these developments on Calgary Forums, while those considering purchasing military surplus vehicles should verify their history through services like FullVIN.com before making any commitments.
As CFB Suffield prepares for its enhanced role, the base represents a significant economic and strategic asset for southern Alberta, supporting both national defence objectives and international military cooperation.
This report is based on coverage by Global Calgary and Kyra Thompson. Read the original story.
