RCAF Station Dafoe

The station was closed due to the winding down of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) as World War II neared its end. With victory in Europe imminent, the massive demand for newly trained aircrew was significantly reduced, leading to the closure of numerous training bases across Canada.

The site of the former RCAF Station Dafoe is now privately owned. The iconic triangular runway layout is still clearly visible from satellite imagery, but the asphalt and concrete surfaces are severely deteriorated, broken, and largely overgrown with grass and gravel. The runways are not maintained and are unusable for conventional aircraft. The land is primarily used for agricultural purposes, including farming and grain storage. Some of the original hangar pads and building foundations remain, with a few modern agricultural and light industrial structures built on the site. It is not an active or certified airport and exists only as a historical landmark.

RCAF Station Dafoe was a critical component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, a massive joint military aircrew training program during WWII. The station officially opened on June 22, 1941, and was home to No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School. Its primary mission was to train air bombers and air gunners for the Royal Canadian Air Force and other Allied air forces. Trainees learned skills in bomb aiming, aerial gunnery, and navigation. The school operated a variety of aircraft, including the Avro Anson, Fairey Battle, Bristol Bolingbroke, and Westland Lysander. Like many BCATP airfields, it was constructed with a distinctive triangular runway pattern to allow for takeoffs and landings in multiple wind directions. The station played a vital role in the Allied war effort, contributing to the training of thousands of aircrew who would serve in combat theaters around the world.

There are no known plans or realistic prospects for reopening the airport. The original infrastructure is derelict and would require a complete reconstruction at an immense cost. The rural location and the lack of economic or logistical demand for an airport of its former size in Dafoe make any potential reopening unfeasible.