Camp Chilliwack was created only two months after the Empire of Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, launching the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

The swift succession of Japanese operations in the Aleutian Islands and a submarine presence off the west coast of North America, coupled with the fall of Hong Kong took the Department of National Defence by surprise.

The Canadian military's presence in British Columbia was restricted at that time to the Royal Canadian Navy base at Esquimalt on southern Vancouver Island plus a chain of RCAF land-based and flying boat stations including Sea Island (Vancouver), Victoria, Allingford Bay, Bella Coola and Prince Rupert.

The rapid flow of events during late 1941 and early 1942 saw the United States military presence in the Pacific Northwest expand dramatically, with corresponding increases in Canada to meet the perceived Japanese threat.

CFB Chilliwack took responsibility for supporting all Canadian Forces units in the lower mainland of British Columbia, including the Jericho Beach Garrison in Vancouver.

Area Support Unit Chilliwack (ASU Chilliwack) was established on September 2, 1997 at the Vedder Creek property to provide support to reserve and regular force units on mainland British Columbia, while the remainder of the Vedder Creek property has been transferred to the Canada Lands Company for disposal and is currently being developed into a residential subdivision named "Garrison Crossing."