National Defence Headquarters (Canada)

The Major-General George R. Pearkes Building

National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) consists of the military headquarters for the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as hosts the majority of the civilian Department of National Defence (DND) staff. Completed in 1974, it was originally built for Transport Canada until a plan for a new NDHQ in LeBreton Flats was cancelled. Transport Canada instead moved to the newly completed Place de Ville Tower C (1972). NDHQ actually comprises a collection of offices spread in buildings across the National Capital Region, although it is most commonly identified with the Major-General George R Pearkes Building at 101 Colonel By Drive in Ottawa. By 2015, the various locations will begin to be consolidated at the Carling Campus on Carling Avenue.

Falling under the Minister of National Defence, NDHQ includes the office of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), who is the senior military commander within the Canadian Armed Forces; and the Deputy Minister, who as the senior civil servant is in charge of the Department of National Defence.

• Reporting to the CDS are the headquarters of all Canadian Armed Forces commands:
  • Royal Canadian Navy
  • Canadian Army
  • Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Canadian Joint Operations Command
  • Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
• Reporting to the DM are several Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADM):
  • ADM (Policy)
  • ADM (Finance and Coorporate Services)
  • ADM (Infrastructure and Environment)
  • ADM (Information Management)
  • ADM (Public Affairs)