Diefenbunker
A "
Diefenbunker" is the nickname
Canadian federal opposition politicians of the early
1960s coined for seven
nuclear fallout shelters built across the country at the height of the
Cold War during the infancy of the
ICBM threat. The name is derived from the
prime minister of the day,
John Diefenbaker, who had authorized their construction.
These facilities were built, often in great secrecy, at rural locations outside major cities across Canada. Most were 2-storey underground bunkers capable of withstanding a near-hit from a nuclear explosion. Each underground building had massive blast doors at the surface, as well as extensive air filters to prevent radiation infiltration. Underground storage was built for food, fuel, fresh water, and other supplies for the facility which was capable of supporting several dozen people for weeks.
Seven Diefenbunkers were built in locations across the country. The largest Diefenbunker was located west of
Ottawa in
Carp and was expected to shelter several hundred of the most important federal government bureaucrats, senior military officials, and federal politicians.
The largest bunker was designated the Central Emergency Government Headquarters (CEGHQ):
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Carp, Ontario (
CFS Carp)
The six smaller bunkers were designated as Regional Emergency Government Headquarters (REGHQs):
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Nanaimo, British Columbia (
CFS Nanaimo)
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Penhold, Alberta (
CFS Penhold)
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Shilo, Manitoba (
CFB Shilo)
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Borden, Ontario (
CFB Borden)
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Valcartier, Quebec (
CFB Valcartier)
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Debert, Nova Scotia (
CFS Debert)
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Edenvale, Ontario (
CFB Borden)
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Richardson, Ontario (
CFS Carp)
Following the end of the
Cold War, all the Diefenbunkers were decommissioned. Several of the facilities on active Canadian Forces Bases, such as CFB Borden and CFB Valcartier, remain in government control, albeit mothballed. Diefenbunkers located on smaller Canadian Forces Stations were mostly sold off, or demolished.
Existing Diefenbunkers which members of the public may visit include the facility at the former
CFS Carp, now converted into a year-round Cold War museum, as well as the smaller facility at
CFS Debert, which is opened several times a year for tours. As of 2005 the bunker at CFS Debert is home to the cadet regional gliding school in the summer, is available to other groups throughout the year, and is occasionally used as a barracks by military units in transit across
Nova Scotia.
One interesting footnote surrounds the Diefenbunker that was located at
CFS Penhold in Alberta. This facility was decommissioned and at one point a movie studio expressed interest but it was ultimately purchased by a member of the public. When subsequent owners of the Penhold Diefenbunker advertised the facility for resale, there was rumour that a chapter of an
outlaw biker gang, such as the
Hells Angels, was expressing interest. This prompted the federal government to repurchase the facility and have it systematically demolished and hauled away at considerable expense.
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Canada in the Cold War*
The Diefenbunker Cold War Museum
