[Robert Dabkowski]

... Perry.
The museum buildings (2) teardown wasn't quite as cold hearted as you suggest. Base Borden is a federal facility and as such doesn't pay property taxes to the Town of Angus but DOES use their piped water and some of their sewer services. As such Borden makes a yearly payment to the town in lieu of taxes.

That payment was based on the square footage of the enclosed building space (total) on the Base. Problem was that someone miscounted years ago and this fact was just recently (well, 4 years ago actually) discovered. In order to not have to make a back payment (of several years worth + interest) it was ordered (by DND HQ in Ottawa) that any and all old buildings possible be knocked down immediately to reduce the base's building square footage down to the level it was 'supposed' to be.

Thus mostly the wooden structures most contaminated (with asbestos and lead) and suffering the most dry rot and with the oldest heating systems (and thus the most expensive to renovate) were the ones to go ... 12 buildings in total afaik, only two from the museum.

And now that more money has been 'found' some three years later, they have started to renovate two of the original 1917 airplane hangers over on the flightline for new life as an aircraft museum. Not quite a 1to1 trade in square footage but at least original 3 tank hangers and two 1917 aircaft hangers will now be saved for history instead of 5 (very similar) tank hangers ...

Its not the perfect solution but I think that it will all work out ok in the end. At least better than most government efforts, anyway.