Approximately 100 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Department of National Defence civilian personnel will be participating in Operation NEVUS 2018 on Ellesmere Island, NU near Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert, and Eureka, NU from 15 June to 15 July 2018.

Participating in the operation are members from Joint Task Force (North), 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group and Canadian Forces Station Alert and personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force, including 440 (Transport) Squadron based in Yellowknife, NWT.

“Operation NEVUS is a crucial Northern operation to maintain key communication systems to the most remote parts of Canada’s North,” said Captain (Navy) Steven Thornton, Acting Commander, Joint Task Force (North).

“I am proud to see that our men and women in uniform and Department of National Defence civilian experts are working cooperatively to accomplish the mission while concurrently improving our environmental stewardship of the island.”

The purpose of the operation is to maintain the High Arctic Data Communications System (HADCS) sites between CFS Alert and Eureka in order to support the CAF’s ability to operate in the Arctic and to conduct environmental stewardship projects.

The purpose of the environmental stewardship projects is to minimize the environmental footprint and impact on Ellesmere Island through assessment and, ultimately, cleanup of leftover debris.