RCAF Station Fingal (No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School)

The primary reason for closure was the winding down of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) as World War II neared its conclusion. The demand for new aircrew, specifically bomb aimers and air gunners, had significantly decreased as Allied victory became more certain, making the training facility redundant.

The site is now the Fingal Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. After the war, the land was acquired for conservation purposes. The original triangular runways and taxiways, though deteriorated, are still clearly visible and serve as a network of trails for public use, including hiking, cycling, and bird watching. While most of the original 60+ buildings have been removed, some concrete foundations and a large concrete gunnery backstop remain as historical remnants of the station's wartime past. The area is actively managed to preserve and enhance habitat for grassland birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.

RCAF Station Fingal was a critical component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), a massive, joint military aircrew training program during World War II. Opened on November 25, 1940, it operated as No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School. The station's primary mission was to train bomb aimers and air gunners for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and other Commonwealth air forces. The airfield featured the standard BCATP triangular runway layout to allow for takeoffs and landings regardless of wind direction. Trainees practiced their skills using various aircraft, including the Fairey Battle, Avro Anson, Bristol Bolingbroke, and Westland Lysander. Operations involved air-to-air gunnery practice firing at towed targets (drogues) and practice bombing runs on a designated range in nearby Lake Erie. At its peak, the station housed thousands of military personnel and played a vital role in supplying trained aircrew for the Allied war effort.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RCAF Station Fingal as an airport. The site's long-standing and successful conversion into a provincially managed wildlife and conservation area makes its return to aviation use highly improbable. The original aviation infrastructure is in a state of disrepair and would require complete reconstruction. Furthermore, there is no economic or logistical demand for a new airport in this specific location.