FAQ page






The following questions and answers have been compiled to help residents of the Benoir Lake area understand what Armatec has planned for the proposed test facility and to explain how operation of the facility will affect them. Please check back from time to time, as updates will be done periodically.

Q1. Can you please clarify how often survivability tests will be done?

Q2. How does the noise of survivability testing compare to that of the existing nearby lumber mill?

Q3. How far will blasting shock waves travel through the ground, and how will these shock waves affect my foundation and/or house?

Q4. What sort of noise level is associated with the mobility tests?

Q5. How often will the mobility tests be done?

Q6. What is the typical duration of a mobility test?

Q7. What time during the year will mobility tests be done?

Q8. What is the anticipated impact to local traffic from survivability and mobility testing?

Q9. Can more specific information be provided about the jobs that will result from operation of the test facility?

Q10. Will there be spinoff jobs?

Q11. Is this a military installation?

Q12. How many tanks will there be on site?

Q13. How are you going to keep the site secure (for our children’s protection)?

Q14. Will this test site become a military target?

Q15. Will it affect air travel in the area, including the landing strip?

Q16. What is a mobility test?

Q17. If you do 1 test per day and 5 per week and 10 per month doesn’t that add up to 120/ over 12 months, rather than 30? Is 30 the Absolute Maximum. Is 1 per day or 5 per week also a maximum or an average or regular scheduling? Please clarify.

Q18. What is a scaled test?

Q19. Why do you need such a big property if this is so safe?

Q20. Isn’t this just the first phase of a full-scale operation?

Q21. What is the relationship between this location and CFB Petawawa?

Q22. How will you protect the animals from the blasts?

Q23. Will there be any toxins (radio activity) associated with the blasts?

Q24. Will there be armed forces personnel (with guns) on site for the tests?

Q25. Will there be 24 hour security for the site, including the magazine and bunker?

Q26. Where do the explosives come from and how are they transported?

Q27. Will we know when tests are going to occur?

Q28. Will you be using the air strip?

Q29. Do you manufacture the tanks as well?

Q30. Do you have any videos of the tanks doing mobility testing? With sound included?

Q31. Do radio transmitters need to be shut off when driving by the test site?

Q32. Will the testing generate hazardous run-off that will contaminate nearby bodies of water?

Q33. How can conducting 30 tests per year make the operation of the test site an economically viable business?

Q34. Why was this site in Harcourt chosen for the test facility? (i.e. why not a property closer to London, Ontario, or why not a property in Northern Ontario?)

Q35. Is area 4 a cleared area, or simply trails through the bush?

Q36. You mention that there will a maximum of 30 full scale tests in a year and a maximum of 60 small scale tests. What are the reasons or limiting factors that prevent more tests per year then stated?

Q37. What is the expected noise level and duration of the scaled tests?

Q38. How does the sound produced by a survivability test compare to that of a hunting rifle?

Q39. Can an example of the sound produced a survivability test be provided?

Q40. Can you please comment on the possibility of explosive material by-products being discharged into the environment, and the amount of this discharge?

Q41. Will there be a need to dispose of contaminated soil locally?

Q42. Would a Canadian Forces base in Ontario be a more suitable location for these tests?

Q1. Can you please clarify how often survivability tests will be done?
A1. Due to the high logistical efforts of testing, Armatec normally conducts a series of several tests over a period of one or two weeks. The maximum number of full scale survivability tests that are forecasted will be conducted in a given time period is as follows :
1 Day – up to 1 per day
1 Week – 5 tests (up to 1 per day)
1 Month – 10 tests (up to two test weeks per month)
1 Year – 30 tests (up to six test weeks per year)
This is representative for all major tests during the complete year including daily, weekly and monthly schedules. Therefore, there will be long periods of preparation where no testing takes place.

Q2. How does the noise of survivability testing compare to that of the existing nearby lumber mill?
A2. Power saws and planers in a lumber mill produce a steady-state sound, with levels of approximately 70-80 dBA (at the nearest receptor) that may be heard for several hours every day. In comparison, the sound generated by a survivability test is expected to generate sound pressure levels of 85.8 dBA, occurring (up to) once per day and 30 times a year, and heard for a very short duration (1 second).

Q3. How far will blasting shock waves travel through the ground, and how will these shock waves affect my foundation and/or house?
A3. The Ministry of the Environment has issued a standard called NPC-119 that was put in place to define the maximum allowable limit of ground vibration, in order to prevent damage to building structures. The explosive charges used in survivability tests are small when compared with mining or quarrying operations (tens of kilograms used for survivability tests compared to several hundred kilograms used in quarries), and when combined with the large distance between the test site and sensitive receptors (1650m) the resulting ground vibration will be less than 5% of the limit defined in NPC-119.

Q4. What sort of noise level is associated with the mobility tests?
A4. The noise produced by a mobility test is expected to be comparable to that made by a medium sized tractor at a distance of 600m.

Q5. How often will the mobility tests be done?
A5. Similar to survivability testing, Armatec would conduct a series of mobility tests over a period of one or two weeks. It is expected that between ten and twenty mobility tests would be done in this one or two week period. The number of these test sessions will vary depending on Armatec’s contractual obligations, but is not expected to exceed six per year.

Q6. What is the typical duration of a mobility test?
A6. The duration of the mobility tests will vary depending on the purpose of the test. Many tests will be less than an hour in length, while a durability test might last for several hours.

Q7. What time during the year will mobility tests be done?
A7. Mobility testing may occur at any time during the year.

Q8. What is the anticipated impact to local traffic from survivability and mobility testing?
A8. Tests are normally conducted in batches over a period of one or two weeks. Typically one or two transport trucks will deliver the test equipment at the beginning of the test period and pick it up at the end. This test equipment may include anything from engineered coupons (steel plates or similar) to a full vehicle weighing from 2 to 50 + tonnes. Depending on what tests are taking place, a crane may also be required on a daily basis.

Q9. Can more specific information be provided about the jobs that will result from operation of the test facility?
A9. Jobs resulting from operation of the test facility may include:
- Test co-ordinator (handling logistics and planning of test activities, local payroll, etc)
- Research assistant(s) (planning of tests, setup of test instrumentation and data collection)
- Millwright / maintenance personnel (responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment and facility)
- Caretaker (security guard / magazine keeper)
- Equipment operator(s) (operation of backhoe, bobcat, other heavy equipment)
- General labourer(s) (assist with mechanical setup aspects, site remediation, other duties as required)
A representative of Armatec’s HR department will be present at the open house meeting on February 22nd to list some of the jobs and explain the hiring and selection processes. Extensive background checks in accordance with government regulation are required.

Q10. Will there be spinoff jobs?
A10. Armatec expects that our investment in the test facility will indirectly support many more local services and industries, for example:
- hotels
- caterers
- restaurants
- gas stations
- construction contractors
- aggregate suppliers
- hardware / other stores

Q11. Is this a military installation?
A11. It will not be a military installation but heavily governed by regulations. The test facility will be operated by Armatec, and will be a civilian operation. The Customers are governments and military and therefore we are obligated to follow the regulations of the governing law and special stipulations in our contracts with the customer.

Q12. How many tanks will there be on site?
A12. The number of military vehicles on site will vary depending on what test activities are going on, but is not expected to be more than two or three at once. There may be the occasional instance of a tank being present, however it will be more common for vehicles the size of a pickup truck or commercial truck (i.e. u-haul) to be on site.

Q13. How are you going to keep the site secure (for our children’s protection)?
A13. The main features of the site that will ensure the safety of nearby residents are the site’s isolation (over 1.6 km from the nearest residence) and the local topography (the steep cliffs and hills to the east of Benoir Lake road).
Signs will be posted at the property boundary to prevent trespassing on to the property. Local fencing, topography, pretest surveys, reinforcement of trespassing, and education of the overly interested ones (kids) form a part of the safety measures. Additional security measures are in place to protect the proceedings from unannounced visitors, such as fencing and monitoring of the local area where tests take place.
Fencing of the entire property is not planned, as any precautions could be circumvented by a determined human and would prevent the free roaming of animals.

Q14. Will this test site become a military target?
A14. We do not consider this to be likely, as there has never been a known instance of this occurring at any testing facility in North America

Q15. Will it affect air travel in the area, including the landing strip?
A15. The operation of the landing strip is not affected by the operation of this site. Any possible temporary overflight restrictions directly over the test site itself will not impede in the approaches and departures of the airstrip.

Q16. What is a mobility test?
A16. Mobility tests involve driving a vehicle off-road over a set of obstacles to determine how well it is able to move over these obstacles after being upgraded, and to determine the effects to added survivability equipment.

Q17. If you do 1 test per day and 5 per week and 10 per month doesn’t that add up to 120/ over 12 months, rather than 30? Is 30 the Absolute Maximum. Is 1 per day or 5 per week also a maximum or an average or regular scheduling? Please clarify.
A17. See answer to #1. Additional information will be provided in the public information session that demonstrates how much pre and post test work is required to conduct one of these tests, and will help explain why the test frequency cannot be higher. There is a lot of setup involved, including preparation of the site, test coupon instrumentation, measurement equipment and data acquisition etc. It is a very elaborate process, and not a high frequency event like scheduled blasting in a quarry.

Q18. What is a scaled test?
A18. A scaled survivability test is a smaller version of a full scale test, typically 1/2 scale or smaller. Scaled tests require less effort to conduct, need only small template sizes and therefore produce negligible noise levels compared to a full scaled test.

Q19. Why do you need such a big property if this is so safe?
A19. The large property is needed to establish the appropriate sized template (buffer area surrounding the test site). Strictly speaking, the property in question is larger than the minimum size needed for conducting survivability tests, but the extra distance provides peace of mind to us and to neighboring residents

Q20. Isn’t this just the first phase of a full-scale operation?
A20. In Armatec’s re-zoning application, only a very small portion of this property is used for this work. If anything should change in the future, the operation is more or less already restricted for and would need a new application to expand. In any case, Armatec sees the current level of testing sufficient for the foreseeable future.

Q21. What is the relationship between this location and CFB Petawawa?
A21. No relationship exists between Armatec and CFB Petawawa pertaining to the proposed test site.

Q22. How will you protect the animals from the blasts?
A22. The immediate area surrounding the test site will be fenced off, preventing any animals from getting too close to the blast.

Q23. Will there be any toxins (radio activity) associated with the blasts?
A23. None of the explosive materials used in survivability tests are radioactive.

Q24. Will there be armed forces personnel (with guns) on site for the tests?
A24. Military dignitaries and government scientific research personnel may be invited to witness certain tests. It is a civilian operated facility for research and qualification testing with appropriate security measures. It is not an exercise or training field for operational forces.

Q25. Will there be 24 hour security for the site, including the magazine and bunker?
A25. Yes, the storage magazine will be monitored 24 hours in accordance with Canada’s Explosives Act and Regulations. The other buildings and equipment on the site are not regulated as such, but Armatec will put measures in place to ensure safe keeping and protection of our equipment.

Q26. Where do the explosives come from and how are they transported?
A26. The explosives used in survivability tests come from several different manufacturers located in Canada and the United Sates. They are transported to the test site in vehicles that meet the requirements of Canada’s Explosives Act and Regulations and Transport Canada.

Q27. Will we know when tests are going to occur?
A27. Armatec will post a short term test schedule to inform local residents about upcoming tests.

Q28. Will you be using the air strip?
A28. Operation of the test site will not require use of the air strip, or impact the current use of the airstrip.

Q29. Do you manufacture the tanks as well?
A29. Armatec does not manufacture military vehicles – our specialty is upgrading existing vehicles to provide increased survivability and mobility. In our mission profile you will see that we are providing passive protection technologies to save lives and not offensive weapon systems.

Q30. Do you have any videos of the tanks doing mobility testing? With sound included?
A30. We will prepare mobility testing information and make it available during our the meeting on the 22nd of February.

Q31. Do radio transmitters need to be shut off when driving by the test site?
A31. No. Due to the large distances between the roads (Peterson, Benoir Lake) and the test site, there is no risk of a radio transmitter interfering with testing activities.

Q32. Will the testing generate hazardous run-off that will contaminate nearby bodies of water?
A32. Armatec’s test methods lend themselves well to our mandate of environmental protection. Our products and test equipment generate no hazardous run off. These are very tightly controlled tests with calibrated test beds. The test beds are isolated from the surrounding soil (and vice versa) using a rubber liner. Any traces of combustion by-products that may exist in the soil after the tests are contained in the isolated test bed to prevent their entry into the ecosystem.

Q33. How can conducting 30 tests per year make the operation of the test site an economically viable business?
A33. It is Armatec’s intent to conduct survivability tests for research and development purposes and to validate our products. We are working on technologies never done before – therefore the value comes from the knowledge gained, enabling our R&D department to develop future products which don’t exist today. Work similar to this has saved multiple lives and allowed the employment of 200+ Canadians for the last decade, and created a tax base for Canada through export. All this has been accomplished by a passionate team without government subsidies or handouts.

Q34. Why was this site in Harcourt chosen for the test facility? (i.e. why not a property closer to London, Ontario, or why not a property in Northern Ontario?)
A34. The site near Harcourt was chosen primarily because the land was available for purchase and is of sufficient size to safely conduct survivability tests with little impact to the surrounding. It is rare to find a parcel of land for sale that is large enough to accommodate survivability testing templates, particularly in Southwestern Ontario. Northern Ontario cannot provide the necessary infrastructure to support the logistical needs of such an activity.

Q35. Is area 4 a cleared area, or simply trails through the bush?
A35. Area 4 will be simply an obstacle trail through the bush. (see page 4 of presentation for examples of obstacles).

Q36. You mention that there will a maximum of 30 full scale tests in a year and a maximum of 60 small scale tests. What are the reasons or limiting factors that prevent more tests per year then stated?
A36. See Question #17. For each test series, There is significant effort involved with the design and manufacture of test equipment, planning and logistics, and site preparation. The typical time needed to plan and prepare for a full scale test is 2 – 3 months (1 -2 months for a scaled test) and is the main factor that prevents more frequent testing. Test coupons may need up to a year to be manufactured.

Q37. What is the expected noise level and duration of the scaled tests?
A37. The smaller charge sizes used in a scaled test will result in sound pressure levels of approximately 77dba, and will be the same duration as a full scaled test.

Q38. How does the sound produced by a survivability test compare to that of a hunting rifle?
A38. In our presentation, we used the comparison between a survivability test and rifle shot because the decibel level (dBA) and sound durations are similar, and because most people are familiar with the noise of a rifle shot. However, there is a difference in the sound quality produced by those two different events, which comes from how sound propagates over distance. Higher frequency sound waves are absorbed more readily by the atmosphere, leaving only lower frequency waves that make it to the distant receptor (in our case 1.6 km away) – resulting in a dull thudding sound from a survivability test rather than the sharp crack produced by a rifle at a relatively close distance.

Q39. Can an example of the sound produced a survivability test be provided?
A39. For an example of what a survivability test sounds like, please click on the link below. This audio file was recorded at 1000 metres from the detonation point; the noise at this distance was measured to be 81.0 dBAI.

Survivability test @ 1010m

Q40. Can you please comment on the possibility of explosive material by-products being discharged into the environment, and the amount of this discharge?
A40. Explosive detonation is a process similar to combustion which produces gaseous and particulate by-products. According to figures published by the Environmental Protection Agency in their AP-42 reference data, the main detonation by-products resulting from survivability tests will be solid particulate matter (carbon), carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. The amounts of these compounds produced, along with traces of other elements which may be present, are not a significant source of pollution due to the low annual usage of explosive materials that has been forecast (approximately 300kg per year). In one year, it is calculated that survivability testing will generate less carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide than burning a cord of firewood.

Q41. Will there be a need to dispose of contaminated soil locally?
A41. The accumulation of explosive by-products in the soil is dependent on both the testing frequency and the rate of bio-degradation of the various compounds. At regular intervals, the soil will be tested to ensure that explosive by-product levels are within limits set by provincial and federal regulations, and remediation measures will be taken if necessary.

Q42. Would a Canadian Forces base in Ontario be a more suitable location for these tests?
A42. While many of the CF bases in Ontario are large enough to accommodate survivability testing template sizes, they are also controlled by, and in use by, the Canadian Forces. Based on Armatec’s previous experience, accessing these ranges in a timely manner with the frequency we require is not a viable option.