The Department of National Defence has awarded a contract to design a new, 480-unit military housing complex at CFB Esquimalt.
Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair, was in Esquimalt to make the announcement Wednesday.
The project is part of a nationwide effort to build and upgrade thousands of housing units for the Canadian Armed Forces.
The minister says the new facility will consolidate several functions into a central modern high-rise. It will include administrative areas, a kitchen and a dining hall, postal services, and coffee shops. This project also involves the demolition of the current CFB Esquimalt accommodation facility, the Nelles Block dormitories that were built in the 1950's. Demolition won't happen until the new facility is constructed in early 2030s.
Construction services firm Ellis Don was awarded the $10-million design contract, with the total cost to complete the facility estimated at $165 million dollars.
Esquimalt's mayor welcomes the new military housing facility at CFB Esquimalt. It's not technically on the township's land, but Barb Desjardins tells CFAX 1070's Ryan Price that she expects the 480-unit housing complex could help with local traffic congestion and high housing demand," it will alleviate some of the challenges"
The new facility is slated to break ground in 2026.