CFB Halifax (Canadian Forces Base Halifax)

Canadian Forces Base Halifax is the Royal Canadian Navy's east coast base and the home port of Canadian Fleet Atlantic (CANFLTLANT), the seagoing component of Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT). Owned by the Department of National Defence and operated by the RCN, the base is an amalgamation of military properties around Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. It is the largest Canadian Forces base by posted personnel.

The headquarters of MARLANT is located at His Majesty's Canadian Dockyard, on the western side of Halifax Harbour at the southern end of The Narrows. The dockyard provides berths for Canadian and foreign warships, the Formation Supply Facility, Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Scott, shore-based training facilities, and operations buildings for MARLANT and for Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax. An adjunct facility on the Dartmouth shore carries jetties and further buildings, including Defence Research and Development Canada – Atlantic. The dockyard holds exclusive control of several anchorages within Halifax Harbour, excludes civilian traffic from the vicinity of military facilities, and is protected by a floating force protection boom against unauthorised small-craft approach to warships and pierside facilities.

Stadacona, west of the waterfront in the north end of the Halifax peninsula, houses the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School, with facilities at Herring Cove and York Redoubt, the Canadian Forces Naval Operations School, the Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre, the base hospital, and the headquarters of 5th Canadian Division. HMCS Trinity, also at Stadacona, handles MARLANT communications with ships and allied units and produces operational intelligence for unit commanders; it operates the Naval Radio Stations at Newport Corner and Mill Cove. Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Bedford occupies the northern shore of Bedford Basin, holds the ordnance for MARLANT vessels, and has a loading jetty and adjacent anchorages. Windsor Park holds the Military Police Unit (Halifax) and supporting units, and the base maintains its own fire and rescue service.

Shearwater Heliport, on the eastern shore of the harbour at Eastern Passage, supports the CH-148 Cyclone helicopters embarked in MARLANT warships. It is the headquarters of 12 Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force, which operates 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron, 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, 12 Air Maintenance Squadron and the Helicopter Operational Evaluation and Test Facility there.

The dockyard was established by the Royal Navy in the 18th century and acquired by Canada after the British withdrawal of 1906, with formal transfer in 1910. It expanded in both world wars, taking in property in Dartmouth and on Bedford Basin; wartime construction replaced nearly all pre-war buildings. The Wellington Barracks site was appropriated from the army during the Second World War and became HMCS Stadacona, and CFB Shearwater was realigned as part of CFB Halifax during the 1990s.