HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the
Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...
reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the
Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service The Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS) is a sub-component of the Canadian Forces Reserve Force whose members have undertaken as their primary duty the supervision, administration and training of the members of the Canad ...
(formerly the Cadet Instructors Cadre) and the Canadian Rangers. The reserve force is represented, though not commanded, at the national level by the chief of reserves and employer support. This is usually a major-general or rear-admiral. The Primary Reserve consists of sailors, soldiers, and aviators who may augment or operate alongside their Regular Force counterparts. Each reserve force is operationally and administratively responsible to its corresponding environmental command; those being the
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack subma ...
, the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
and the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
. Primary reservists number approximately 27,000 (all ranks, all services). The reserves are important to sustaining CF operations, particularly following the defence budget cuts of the 90s.


Components


Naval Reserve

The Naval Reserve (NAVRES) is the reserve
formation Formation may refer to: Linguistics * Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes * Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes Mathematics and science * Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...
of the
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack subma ...
(RCN). It is organized into 24  Naval Reserve Divisions (NRDs), shore-based training facilities located in communities across the country. Each NRD has a small cadre of reservists and regular force members to coordinate training and administration, but is for the most part directed by the division's part-time leadership. Training is conducted year round with regular force counterparts at the three
Canadian Forces Fleet School Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
s and reservists frequently deploy on regular force ships to augment ships' companies. Traditionally, the Naval Reserve supplied all personnel (except two regular forces electricians and one marine engineer) for the 12 Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs), which are used for patrol, minesweeping and bottom-inspection operations. However in 2017, MCDVs were shifted to a blended crew model, skewing more heavily to being primarily manned by Regular Force (RegF) members. This change was due to the loss of seagoing billets on larger ships typically manned primarily by RegF members. As of 2012, the Naval Reserve had a funded manning level . It has since grown, in accordance with the Justin Trudeau Liberal government's 'Strong, Secure, Engaged' defence policy unveiled in 2017.


Army Reserve (The Militia)

The Army Reserve of the Canadian Army is the largest part of the Primary Reserve, with an authorized strength of over 18,000 troops. It is sometimes referred to by its original and historic name, the "Militia". During operations the Army Reserve is tasked to provide fully trained and equipped troops to augment the regular army. It is the time-tested backbone of the Canadian Army and perpetuates the historic force generation mission. In times of national emergency, it is tasked with providing subordinate units (like platoons and companies) and complete units (battalions). It forms the framework needed to raise a national army during wartime and or insurrection. This fighting mission has not changed much since the Second World War, when the majority of combat units overseas were mobilized reserve battalions detached from their home regiments. In keeping with this mission, regiments of the Army Reserve exist at cadre strength and have a theoretical administrative capacity to support a full battalion upon mobilization, although they maintain a standing force that can typically deploy the manpower of a reduced company. This perpetuates the regimental system in the reserve army so that it is available as such for the timely absorption of recruits in case of war or in aid of the civil power. Such as when the need may one day arise, to call out more than 27,000 supplementary reservists and cadet instructors (who are also subjected to provide general service), to reinforce the order of battle, bringing it up to war establishment. However, in practice the regimental system exists as an important military institution for Canada. In addition to the tactical contribution provided for today's Total Force they also provide a deep-rooted community tie and focus on Canada's proud military tradition. The true strength of the Army Reserve is the strong connection that the extended regimental family fosters with the community. From coast to coast, regimental depots support Regimental Bands, sponsor Army Cadet Corps, participate in ceremonial duties and parades with some even operating old comrade associations from non-public funds. Many of these activities are overseen by the regimental honorary colonel and honorary lieutenant-colonel. Although the vast Canadian geography and demographic factors impact unit composition they mostly functions in much the same way. During peacetime the Regimental establishment will only be the equivalent of a much reduced battalion of a couple hundred troops and less in some cases. Normally regiments are commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and consist of a headquarters staff and headquarters company with an administrative and logistical element directed by a small regular force support staff. The regiment's subordinate units consist of one training company that may include a platoon devoted to inducting recruits and another platoon conducting recruit training. The Training Company provides candidates for basic courses run at the brigade's Battle School and combat arms training conducted at the Divisional Training Centre. Once the soldiers are trade-qualified, they return to their units to serve in the line company (or operational sub-unit) that is ready and equipped to deploy when called to do so. Each unit will usually deploy a reduced company of two platoons, one of these usually consisting of younger soldiers who have just passed through qualification training. The line company may be rounded out with a third platoon that is involved with retention duties such as refresher training of mature soldiers (this was once known as warrior training) and holding the non-effective strength, with the goal of returning troops back into the line. Traditionally the militia has been subdivided into district garrisons, and this system is still used as units are grouped along geographic lines into brigades for the purposes of administration, training and operations. The deployable sub unit from each regiment are often operationally tasked and grouped together by the brigade to form a composite battle group of battalion strength known as Territorial Battalion Groups for combined arms training or defence of Canada tasks in the brigade area of operations. The battle group is usually commanded by a lieutenant-colonel selected on a rotational basis from one of the brigade units. The order of battle will vary depending on the task and the available manpower but generally includes an artillery battery with 105 mm C3 Close Support Guns, several companies of truck-mounted light infantry with support weapons, an armoured reconnaissance squadron with equipped with GPMGs/LAW, and a combat engineer troop. These combat arms troops will be supported by signals, service, medical and military police combat support sub-units. The brigades are commanded by a colonel and provide a garrison for the reserve units; however, they are usually ready to contribute a battle group to the Division's Task Force and battle school candidates to the Division's Training Centre. The June 30, 2016 / Project number: 16-0209 article published in the Canadian Army News stated that the Canadian Army trains 11,000 reservists annually on courses from private to lieutenant colonel. The number of courses increased in 2014/15 from the previous year and will see a steady state in 2015/16. The CA continues to generate and train ten Territorial Battalion Groups and four Arctic Company Response Groups each year. The Army Reserve is a true force multiplier, and the reservists are always very active preparing for battle and training for war. They are continuously exercised, particularly in the summer months when combined arms field exercises up to the brigade group level are conducted, and also during the wintertime, when the troops must qualify in winter indoctrination and winter warfare exercise. A high degree of winter training is expected as the Army Reserve provides Arctic Response Companies for Northern service. They have participated heavily in all deployments of the Canadian Army over the last decades. In some cases the Army Reserve has contributed as much as of the personnel in each deployment in the form of individual augmentation and occasionally formed sub-units (companies). At the peak of the fighting during the War in Afghanistan, almost a quarter of the troops came from the Army Reserve, thus earning new battle honours for Reserve units. While not the official name, the Army Reserves are often referred to as the Milita based on their historical name.


Brigades

*
2nd Canadian Division The 2nd Canadian Division (2 Cdn Div; french: 2e Division du Canada) is a formation of the Canadian Army in the province of Quebec, Canada. The present command was created 2013 when Land Force Quebec Area was re-designated. The main unit housed ...
** 34 Canadian Brigade Group (34 CBG) **
35 Canadian Brigade Group 35 Canadian Brigade Group (35CBG; french: 35e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is part of 2nd Canadian Division, under the Canadian Army of the Canadian Forces. It is headquartered in Quebec City, Quebec. It is the successor of the Cold War era Quebec ...
(35 CBG) *
3rd Canadian Division The 3rd Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of all army units in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as all units extending westwards from t ...
**
38 Canadian Brigade Group 38 Canadian Brigade Group (38 CBG) (french: links=no, 38e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a formation of the Canadian Forces and Canadian Army's 3rd Canadian Division. The brigade group is composed of Primary Reserve units in Manitoba, Saskatchewan an ...
(38 CBG) ** 39 Canadian Brigade Group (39 CBG) ** 41 Canadian Brigade Group (41 CBG) *
4th Canadian Division The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infant ...
**
31 Canadian Brigade Group 31 Canadian Brigade Group (31 CBG; french: 31e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is part of the 4th Canadian Division, under the Canadian Army. It encompasses the southwestern portion of Ontario, and is headquartered in London, Ontario. The 31 CBG area of ...
(31 CBG) **
32 Canadian Brigade Group 32 Canadian Brigade Group (32CBG) of the Canadian Army is part of the 4th Canadian Division. It is centred on the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Niagara Region and Brantford. It is headquartered at LCol George Taylor Denison III Armoury in ...
(32 CBG) ** 33 Canadian Brigade Group (33 CBG) *
5th Canadian Division The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of most army units in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador; as well as some ...
**
36 Canadian Brigade Group 36 Canadian Brigade Group (french: 36e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a reserve component brigade of the Canadian Army, which Commands reserve units in 5th Canadian Division for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It was created in 1992 by merging ...
(36 CBG) **
37 Canadian Brigade Group 37 Canadian Brigade Group (french: 37e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a reserve component brigade of the Canadian Army, which supervises Militia units in 5th Canadian Division The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army respon ...
(37 CBG)


Air Reserve

The Air Reserve is the reserve element of the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
(RCAF). 2,600 air reservists are organized into flights and squadrons that are attached to Regular Force RCAF wings at various bases. Air Reserve personnel conduct training to support wing operations. Air Reserve units are specialized in various areas of surveillance, engineering, and airfield construction. Personnel also conduct further training at Canadian Forces bases and can deploy with Regular Force RCAF crews around the world in support of RCAF missions. Unlike the Naval Reserve and Army Reserve, the Air Reserve is composed principally of former members of the Regular Force and members with civilian qualifications that equate to Air Reserve occupation qualifications.


Air Force "Reserve Heavy" Units

*400 Squadron *402 Squadron *438 Squadron *91 Construction Engineering Flight *143 Construction Engineering Flight *144 Construction Engineering Flight *192 Construction Engineering Flight


Health Services Reserve

The Health Services Reserve, with approximately 1,700 members, is organized into two functional groups: Primary Reserve units known as Field Ambulances, and the 1 Canadian Field Hospital Detachment Ottawa. Core tasks assigned to the Field Ambulances include force generating trained personnel to support, augment and sustain Canadian Forces Health Services Group's domestic and expeditionary commitments, to provide health services support to their affiliated Canadian Brigade Groups and to conduct community outreach activities. The members of the 1 Canadian Field Hospital Detachment Ottawa include specialist clinicians and serve to provide depth and breadth to the Health Services Group on international operations and in military clinics within Canada.


Training and employment

The level of activity associated with being a reservist varies from formation to formation. There are three classes of service available to Reservists: ;Class A The most common form of employment for reservists; members are employed on a part-time basis within their unit. This form of employment is entirely voluntary, provides no job security and fewer benefits (e.g., medical and dental) than the other classes of service. The Class A contract covers training or employment up to days. Class A reservists are generally limited to a certain number of paid days per year. Most units provide employment for training in the form of one evening per week or two full days a month during the training year (September – April). Units also normally provide one additional evening a week for administration purposes. Reservists are obliged to accumulate a minimum of 14 full days of service per year and may not exceed of unauthorized absence during which no fewer than 3 duty periods were conducted by the reservist's unit. Those failing to adhere to these requirements can be deemed to be Non-Effective Strength and can be subject to administrative action. ;Class B This class of service is for Reservists employed full-time in a non-operational capacity. The length of service is dependent on the reservist's availability and the needs of the Canadian Forces. Reservists on Class B service receive many of the same benefits as members of the Regular Force, and for members on terms of service longer than six months duration, almost exactly the same benefits aside from pay. Members on Class A and B service are paid 92.8% of their counterparts on Class C service and in the Regular force. ;Class C This is the operational level of service. Reservists on Class C service receive an increase in pay to the level that a Regular Force member in the same position would be expected to receive (Reservists employed in either of the other classes of service earn 92.8% of the amount their Regular Force counterparts receive). There is no maximum length of a Class C term of service and it is normally in excess of one year. Typically, a reservist in a Class C term of service fills the role of a Regular Force member and is accordingly paid from the Regular Force budget.


Domestic operations

Members of the Primary Reserve may serve in routine domestic operations, or be called up in cases of national emergency as an aid to civil power. This may include rescue operations, disaster management, additional security operations or a threat to national security."Domestic Operations"
Canadian Forces Canada Command
Examples include: *Operation Cadence: security support during the 2010 Muskoka G8 and Toronto G20 Summits. *Operation Lama: the joint humanitarian relief mission in Newfoundland after Hurricane Igor. *Operation Lotus: a military operation to assist flooding victims in the
Montérégie Montérégie () is an administrative region in the southwest part of Quebec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Châteauguay, Longueuil, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and Vaudreuil-Dorion. Th ...
area *Operation Lyre: assistance to flooded communities in southern Manitoba. *Operations Nanook, Nunalivut and Nunakput: the annual sovereignty operations in Canada's North. *Operation Palaci: which supports Parks Canada's annual avalanche control program in British Columbia's Rogers Pass. *Operation Podium: support to security operations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010 *Operation Lentus: response to forest fires, floods and natural disasters in Canada. Operated as the first entirely reservist task force, TF Silvertip. * Operation Laser: assistance to long-term care facilities in Ontario and Quebec, and remote northern communities during the COVID-19 pandemic


Foreign operations

Overseas deployment on operations is voluntary. Members of the Primary Reserve are required to be selected after volunteering and must undergo workup training before being deployed overseas on operations. In case of a severe national emergency, an Order in Council may be signed by the
Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm ...
acting under the advice of the federal cabinet to call reserve members of the Canadian Forces into active service. Members of the reserve have not been called to involuntary active service in foreign operations since the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
.


Equipment


See also

*
Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...
*
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack subma ...
*
Canadian Forces Naval Reserve The Naval Reserve (NAVRES, french: link=no, Réserve navale) is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, inc ...
*
History of the Royal Canadian Navy The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is one of the three environmental commands of the C ...
*
List of Canadian Forces Naval Reserve divisions This is a list of Canadian Naval Reserve divisions, shore based reserve training facilities of the Royal Canadian Navy. Christening bells According to naval custom, the children of the ship's company baptized can also have their names inscribe ...
*
Naval Security Team The Naval Security Team (NST; ; ) is a deployable and self-sustained Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) force protection unit established in 2016 tasked to augment the Canadian naval fleet's existing force protection assets in expeditionary or domestic env ...
*
National Band of the Naval Reserve The National Band of the Naval Reserve (NBNR) () is a military band of the Royal Canadian Navy currently based in the Naval Museum of Quebec at the Naval Reserve Headquarters (NAVRESHQ) of the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve in Quebec City. Being a ...
*
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
*
History of the Canadian Army The history of the Canadian Army, began when the title first came into official use in November 1940, during the Second World War, and is still used today. Although the official titles, Force Mobile Command, and later Land Force Command, were use ...
* List of armouries in Canada * Canadian Militia * Permanent Active Militia * Non-Permanent Active Militia *
Supplementary Order of Battle In the Canadian Army, a regiment is placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle when the need for the regiment's existence is no longer relevant. When placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle, a regiment is considered "virtually disbanded", an ...
*
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
* History of the Royal Canadian Air Force *
Canadian Forces Supplementary Reserve The Supplementary Reserve (SuppRes) consists of inactive or retired members of the Canadian Forces who are willing and available for active service when requested. Most members transfer from the Regular Force or the Primary Reserve. However, it is p ...
*
Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service The Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS) is a sub-component of the Canadian Forces Reserve Force whose members have undertaken as their primary duty the supervision, administration and training of the members of the Canad ...
* Cadet Instructors Cadre * Canadian Rangers *
Military history of Canada The military history of Canada comprises hundreds of years of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Canada, and interventions by the Canadian military in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For thousands of years, the area that woul ...


References


External links


CF Primary Reserve

Reserve Class of Service
{{Canadian Forces Land Force Command Canadian Armed Forces Military units and formations of Canada in World War II Reserve forces of Canada