A member of the Canadian Armed Forces who's been missing since last weekend is not in the area surrounding 12 Wing Shearwater, according to members of the Halifax Regional Search and Rescue team.

Leading Seaman Benoit Bilodeau, 48, from 12 Wing Shearwater was last seen walking near a bus stop in front of the base on Nov. 21.

Bilodeau, who lives on base at Shearwater but works on the dockyard, was reported missing when he failed to show up for work last Monday.

"This is very out of character for Leading Seaman Benoit Bilodeau," said Cpt. Chris Sutherland, case commander of CFB Halifax. “All of his military friends and colleagues are on standby if assistance is required. That assistance has not been required to date.”

Tony Rodgers, a spokesman with the Halifax Regional Search and Rescue team, said his team's search would likely end Sunday night if nothing was found.

Rodgers said the team came up nearly empty-handed.

“Very little, very little, and we're not sure the items that we did find were actually related to him at all anyway,” said Rodgers.

The RCMP and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service will continue to search for Bilodeau.

"We are excluding areas, every time one of these searchers takes a step it excludes an area," said Cpl. Tyson Springstead, criminal investigator with the National Investigation Service.

"We're getting a steady amount of tips, we're not over burdened by any means, but we're still getting tips as of today."

Officials say about 80 people from Halifax Regional, Hants County, and South Shore Search and Rescue, as well as the RCMP, combed the area for most of the weekend.

The search has come up dry except for a cell phone ping from Nov. 24 that helped reel in the search to an area of three square kilometres surrounding the base.

Bilodeau spoke to his mother, Louise Bergeron, in Quebec two weeks ago as he planned his Christmas vacation to visit her. 

“He was very glad and in good humour, and everything was ok,” said Bergeron.

Bergeron describes her son as a ‘loner.’ She says he never married, has no children, and is dedicated to his work.

Tips continue to come in to investigators, who say they remain optimistic.

“We can confirm that he's known to use buses,” said Springstead. “I can confirm that we're going through video tapes, but at this time I can't say yes or no to being on the bus because it's still an investigative lead.”

Bilodeau has 30 years of service in the military.

Bergeron says she’s clinging to faith to get her through the difficult time.

“He has faith in God. That's what's keeping me feeling positive. I think whatever happens to him, God is with him.”

Anyone with tips on Bilodeau's whereabouts can contact 902-722-8477.

With files from the Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell.