Radio Observatory – 5762 Akins Road

The Department of National Defence (DND) is proposing a project. Defence Research and Development Canada intends to install a radio observatory consisting of up to approximately 1,000 antennas, consisting of vertical metal poles of approximately 6 metres in height, spread over an area of up to 60 hectares. The antennas will be connected to a central control shelter by wires. The proposed site will also include security fencing to control access.

The radio observatory will be a receiving station that will be used to assess the direction-of-arrival of radio signals in the high frequency band, from transmit stations at other locations in Canada.

The radio observatory builds on capabilities demonstrated by previous similar large-scale high frequency receive arrays built at the same site, such as the sampled aperture receive array that was active at the site in the 1980s. The radio observatory will be receive-only and will not emit radio signals nor produce any radiofrequency hazards.

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Latest update

July 17, 2026 - The public comment period will now close on August 21, 2026. The authorities intend to make a determination regarding whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, the authorities are inviting public comments until August 21, 2026 respecting that determination.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
1 Public Comment Period on Intent to Make a Determination - July 16, 2026

Contacts

Philip Blackmore
Department of National Defence
Philip Blackmore, Project Director
National Defence Headquarters
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K2
Email: philip.blackmore@forces.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • 5762 Akins Road (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Building and Property Development

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2026-07-16

  • Proponent

    Department of National Defence

  • Authorities

    • Department of National Defence
    • National Capital Commission

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    90645

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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