National Defence announces progress on the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar project

The Department of National Defence announced the selection of the first transmit and receive sites for the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar project. The selection of the first two sites sets the foundation for further development and expansion and is a major milestone toward reinforcing Canada’s security and sovereignty in the Arctic.

This is part of Canada’s $38.6 billion plan announced in 2022 to modernize NORAD over the next two decades.

The project is anticipated to reach initial operational capability by the end of 2029. It will ultimately require four sites to be fully operational: two transmit sites and two receive sites.

For a permanent transmit site, the Department of National Defence has acquired 163 hectares of vacant property in the northern part of Thistle Trail, slightly north of Bexley Township in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario.

A preliminary receiving site has also been identified, consisting of 288 hectares of agricultural land in Clearview Township, Ontario.