It will be the better part of a decade worth of work at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
On Monday, Bay of Quinte Member of Parliament Chris Malette welcomed Minister of Defence David McGuinty for an official ground-breaking for major work at 8 Wing.
Trenton is going to be the eastern Canadian hub for the fleet of new CC-330 planes, known as the “Husky Fleet.”
The project is to support Strategic Tanker Transport Capability (STTC).
M.P Chris Malette.
Audio Player“As global tensions continue rising, it is critical that the members of our military have the right tools to support those efforts.”
McGuinty says the first phase of construction is expected to continue into 2026 and include resurfacing of the existing runway, aprons and taxiways, construction of a new two-bay hangar, a training facility, fuel depot, and ramp extension.
Audio PlayerAudio Player“Trenton will be the home of the main operating base east and will see a Husky stationed here, with a crew ready to be mobilized at a moments notice, to meet a fighter jet in the air and refuel. .”
“Today’s ground breaking is the start of the construction on a new hangar, on resurfaced runways and taxiways, on an extended ramp, on a fuel depot, and on a dedicated set of training facilities.”
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“Today marks an exciting milestone in the modernization of our air mobility capabilities. The infrastructure upgrades and new construction taking place here at Canadian Forces Base Trenton will ensure our personnel have the facilities and resources they need to operate the CC-330 Husky safely and effectively for decades to come. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation. I want to express our sincere thanks to the Quinte West community for their continued support and understanding as we carry out this important work.” Colonel Andy Bowser, Commander 8 Wing/CFB Trenton
“Equipping the Canadian Armed Forces to meet the complex challenges of today and tomorrow is a top priority for our government. This project delivers on that commitment—by strengthening our operational capabilities and supporting economic growth and good jobs here in the region. It’s a clear example of how smart defence investments benefit both national security and local communities.” David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence:
The STTC project is acquiring nine CC-330 Husky (four new and five used aircraft) to replace the CC-150 Polaris. The contract with Airbus is valued at approximately $3.6 billion (excluding taxes). The acquisition consists of the nine aircraft, their associated equipment, training capability, integrated logistic support and sustainment.
Canada’s first new CC-330 aircraft, Husky 006, was flown from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, to the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Getafe, Spain, where it will begin conversion work to its multi-role tanker transport configuration.
The full media conference from Monday afternoon is available below
Up to 1,000 jobs will be supported during the eight year construction period.
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Defence Minister David McGuinty and 8 Air Maintenance Squadron Commander Lt.Col. Colin Greely in 7 Hangar at CFB Trenton. Behind McGuinty is Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette shaking hands (Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
