Two naval reservists are currently exploring the Yukon’s potential for an increased Canadian Armed Forces presence.
The Royal Canadian Navy tasked LCdr Eric Salter and CPO2 Harry Godwin with investigating the viability of establishing Canada’s 25th naval reserve in the territory.
They arrived in Whitehorse on June 23 to begin their months-long expedition, which ends in November. The duo is meeting with Yukoners and talking with First Nations to gauge the level of interest in and desire for more military in the territory.
“The Government of Canada has decided that it wants to increase its presence in the North, and we have been selected to do a study on its feasibility,” Salter told the News by phone on July 2. “It all depends on what we can do, what we can provide and what the communities need.”
Creating a naval reserve and increasing the Canadian Armed Forces presence doesn’t mean a more militarized local community with military aircraft, weapons and uniformed personnel in the streets, according to Salter, who is the senior project analyst.
He referred to the prime minister’s recent spending announcement on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, commonly called NATO.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in late June that Canada and its NATO allies agreed to a “defence investment pledge” that involves spending five per cent of annual gross domestic product, or GDP, on “our individual and collective security” by 2035.
For Canada, 3.5 per cent will go towards investing in the Canadian Armed Forces, upgrading military gear and technology, and building up the nation’s defence industries, according to an online statement by the Prime Minister's Office. The other 1.5 per cent will be spent on defence and security-related items like new airports, ports, emergency preparedness systems, telecommunication and other dual-use infrastructure for civilian and military purposes.
Late in 2024, former Yukon premier Ranj Pillai called on the feds to financially back its newly released Arctic foreign policy. That was after the territorial government commissioned its own Yukon Arctic security advisory council that culminated in a report that went public in the weeks ahead of the national policy announcement. The potential for an Arctic security institute in the Yukon is also being considered.
Later in December 2024, former national defence minister Bill Blair and Pillai inked a letter of intent around creating a reserve in the Yukon. A press release highlighting the announcement indicated the Navy would be sending up members in summer 2025 to investigate the project's potential.
From the Maritimes to the prairies and the West Coast, the country maintains 24 naval reserves. None of them are located in the territories, according to the federal website.
Naval reservists are Canadian citizens who use the extra skills they gain through military training to support communities and prepare for domestic or international deployment.
The federal website defines naval reservists as “individuals engaged in their civilian lives while pursuing a military career.”
“The presence of water, while an asset, is not a mandatory thing to have,” Salter said. “We can still provide help and support no matter where we are.”
To compare what a unit in the Yukon might resemble, Salter pointed to HMCS Jolliet, a naval reserve in Quebec that has limited access and resources. It comprises a main drill hall, a boathouse and an indoor firing range, as noted on the federal website.
Salter and his partner are assessing the needs, assets and capabilities in order to boost the military presence in a way that they hope benefits the territory and the people who live in it.
“The nations and the people we have talked to are highly motivated to see what will come out of our research, and we're hoping to provide a plan that will be best suited to the communities,” Salter said.
As part of determining the feasibility of such a project in the Yukon, Salter and Goodwin will look into the financial costs.
In a follow-up email, Salter said they will examine if any new infrastructure needs to be built to stand up the project. He explained the basic standards for a naval reserve division include office and classroom space, training space, space for vehicles and a boat launch, if close to an appropriate waterway.
“It would be easy to see a future military facility being shared with other governmental agencies and partners,” Salter wrote.
The pair of reservists are expected to verbally report back to the head of the Navy on their findings by early 2026.
A decision on the matter is beyond his scope, Salter said.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
