For more than 12 years, plans have been in the works to bring Canada’s elite fighters to Trenton. Now the government has officially cancelled that proposal.
On Monday afternoon, it was learned that the Liberal government is pulling the plug on moving Joint Task Force 2 from Dwyer Hill to Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
The Conservative government purchased land north of the current 8 Wing site, expropriating it from dozens of local residents, including long time farmer Frank Meyers, who has since passed away.
In the past few years, thousands of tonnes of rock have been moved onto the property, creating a berm.
In the transition from the Harper government to the Trudeau era, the promise by federal officials was to keep in place any projects that had been in the queue, which included the movement of JTF2.
Plans surrounding the expansion created a buzz in the Quinte community, due to the economic spinoff it would have created. It was believed to be in the tens of millions annually.
As the project’s delays continued, the cost went from around $350 million, to $1.2 billion.
Quinte News will have more on this story in the coming hours and days
Frank Meyers as his barns are torn down in the background. (Quinte News)
