It is the largest Canadian Forces Base in terms of the number of posted personnel[1] and is formed from an amalgamation of military properties situated around the strategic Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia.

HMC Dockyard Halifax was acquired by the Canadian government from the Royal Navy following the withdrawal of British military forces from Canada in 1906.

The dockyard in 1910 comprised a naval hospital, a blacksmith shop, workshops, three slipways, five jetties, residences, coal and victualling stores and 75 other miscellaneous buildings.

With the onset of World War II, this was still not large enough and the lands of the French Cable Company in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia were acquired and integrated into the base.

HMC Dockyard Halifax also has an adjunct facility directly across the harbour on the Dartmouth shoreline with jetties and various buildings, including Defence Research and Development Canada – Atlantic.

HMC Dockyard Halifax maintains exclusive control of several anchorage areas within the limits of Halifax Harbour and prevents civilian vessels from sailing in the vicinity of military facilities; a floating force protection boom system was constructed to prevent small vessels from unauthorized passage near warships and pierside facilities.

Prior to the arrival of the French, the location that would become Quebec was the home of a small Iroquois village called "Stadacona", after which the base is named.

The gate is lined on either side with two columns listing the battle honours of the Royal Canadian Regiment, which was stationed at Wellington Barracks for several years.

The Admiralty Garden was created c. 1814 and has plaques and monuments displayed to honour persons and mark events, significant to Halifax's naval history.

In 1972 the "Wall of Valour" was created to recognize the bravery decorations awarded to regular and reserve members of the Royal Canadian Navy.

The Faith Centre has numerous plaques and stained glass windows that are dedicated to naval personnel who died in service aboard Canadian warships.

The Royal Navy Burying Ground at Halifax has monuments to those served and lost in the medical facility as a result of capture of USS Chesapeake by HMS Shannon.

The library was funded in part from Customs receipts collected by the British Army during its occupation of the port of Castine, Maine, during the War of 1812.

Base housing also used to be provided at Shannon Park and Wallis Heights in the North End of Dartmouth, however with defence cutbacks in the 1990s, this area has been sold for civilian use.