The federal government will begin clearing land in Ontario early next year for a new multi-billion-dollar radar system that is supposed to detect incoming missiles over the Arctic. Read MoreThe system is expected to be initially operational by 2029, a Department of National Defence spokesperson said.
The system is expected to be initially operational by 2029, a Department of National Defence spokesperson said.
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The federal government will begin clearing land in Ontario early next year for a new multi-billion-dollar radar system that is supposed to detect incoming missiles over the Arctic.
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The transmission site for the first Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) will be built north of the city of Kawartha Lakes on 163 hectares of land acquired by the Department of National Defence. The system’s receiving site will be located on 288 hectares of agricultural land in Clearview Township, near Wasaga Beach.
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The other locations for a second radar installation have yet to be determined.
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The Evening Citizen
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“The Department of National Defence continues to assess siting options for the remaining transmit and permanent receive sites for the installation of the full A-OTHR capability,” Department of National Defence spokesperson Kened Sadiku noted in an email to the Ottawa Citizen
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Trees on the two properties will be cut down in the first several months of 2026, followed by more extensive clearing of the land. The radar system is expected to be initially operational by 2029, according to Sadiku.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on March 18 that Canada would purchase the new radar system from Australia, with the British firm BAE providing the technology.
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DND had already spent around $30 million with an Ottawa company to successfully create A-OTHR technology, but the Liberal government decided to instead go with the Australian system.
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DND originally estimated the cost of the over-the-horizon radar would be under $1 billion. In 2024, it estimated it could be as much as $3 billion. Carney’s announcement put the cost at $6 billion, but there was no explanation for the significant increase.
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Canada and Australia signed a partnership agreement on June 20 for the development of the Canadian A-OTHR capability. Stage one of the A-OTHR program will provide an initial capability by the end of 2029. “Dates for full operational capability will become clearer as the A-OTHR program progresses through Definition/Implementation,” Sadiku noted.
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Over-the-horizon radar has the ability to conduct surveillance at far greater ranges than regular radar technology as it extends the distance of its capabilities by bouncing signals off the ionosphere, a layer of Earth’s atmosphere that reflects radio waves. It’s estimated that the minimum range for the radar will be 500 kilometres, while the maximum range could be more than 3,000 kilometres. The system would be able to track aircraft, missiles and surface ships.
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