Canadian Armed Forces to investigate possible unexploded munition in Labrador

A welcome sign is shown outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L., on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sarah Smellie

HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY — A team of explosives experts with the Canadian Armed Forces is on its way to Labrador, where police say a possible unexploded military ordinance was found in the Churchill River.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey says personnel at 5 Wing Goose Bay base in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L., first discovered the object close to the shore near a vacant property.

Maj. Trevor Ackland with the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Halifax says the object is grey or silver and partially buried in sediment.

In an email, Ackland says an explosive ordnance disposal team is expected to arrive in the coming days to assess and dispose of the object.

In the meantime, O’Donaghey says police are monitoring the object and they’ve let nearby residents know what’s going on.

Earlier this year, RCMP said someone found a “historic military munition” on a western Newfoundland beach.

At the time, O’Donaghey pointed to Newfoundland and Labrador’s extensive military history and he said munitions from former battles have been found in many parts of the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press