Bedford Basin

The lands surrounding the basin are heavily developed with the only significant greenspace remaining being along the northeastern shore of the basin where a significant blast buffer zone surrounds Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Bedford (CFAD Bedford); this is the Royal Canadian Navy's weapons depot for its Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT).

Though inhabited by the Mi'kmaq and the French having known of the site since the 17th century, the basin was named for John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford, who was the British Secretary of State for the Colonies when Halifax was founded in 1749.

With defences built just outside of the only access point into the basin (a strait called The Narrows), it provided a safe place to assemble convoys consisting of hundreds of merchant ships and their escorts in relative security, while torpedo nets kept submarines at bay.

[13] "Bedford Basin is a large enclosed anchorage, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia on Canada's Atlantic coast.

Canada's prominent role in the First World War led to Halifax being chosen as the primary logistic port for resupplying Western Europe.

Stricken vessels limped back to port and seamen fold their stories of battle and the hazards of the North Atlantic convoy routes.

An aerial view of Bedford Basin looking southeast.
Map highlighting key points around the Bedford Basin.
The east shore of the basin is home to Burnside Industrial Park. Bedford Bay may be seen in the background.
A depiction of an Allied convoy in Bedford Basin during the Second World War . Dazzle camouflage was used prominently during the war in an effort to mislead enemies on a ship's course of direction, distance, and speed.