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.

The largest "Diefenbunker" in the country was located west of Ottawa in Carp where that facility was expected to shelter several hundred of the most important federal government bureaucrats, senior military officials, and federal politicians.

"Diefenbunkers" were located at the following sites:

Central Emergency Government Headquarters (CEGHQ)

• Carp, Ontario (CFS Carp)

Regional Emergency Government Headquarters (REGHQs)

• Nanaimo, British Columbia (CFS Nanaimo )
• Penhold, Alberta (CFS Penhold )
• Shilo, Manitoba (CFB Shilo)
• Borden, Ontario (CFB Borden)
• Valcartier, Quebec (CFB Valcartier)
• Debert, Nova Scotia (CFS Debert)

Legacy

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.

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 motorcycle 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.

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.

See also: Canada in the Cold War

External Links

The Diefenbunker Cold War Museum