Close to 300 Canadian Armed Forces p(CAF) personnel completed a major emergency response exercise in Mattawa and North Bay on the weekend.
33 Territorial Battalion Group, formed by 33 Canadian Brigade Group headquartered in Ottawa, and consisting of Army Reserve units from across central, eastern and northern Ontario deployed nearby to Mattawa for a simulated emergency response exercise called "Trillium Venture."
The exercise started on Friday at Jack Garland Airport and moved to Mattawa for the weekend. A Hercules aircraft from 436 Squadron delivered critical supplies to the troops.
This supply flight was conducted to demonstrate and test the capacity of 22 Wing North Bay and RCAF assets to support Canadian Army Reserve elements tasked with responding to emergencies in Canadian communities like natural disasters, including flooding and wildfires. The flight delivered components of a field kitchen and fresh water, which could be used to provide relief to residents in an emergency.
“We remain operationally ready and able to deploy our members rapidly. 'Exercise Trillium Venture' helped strengthen our Territorial Battalion Group and increased our ability to deploy and respond to domestic emergencies when called upon," stated Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Fox, Commanding Officer, 33 TBG
"It is part of what we are trying to do to increase our individual and collective readiness," said Brigadier General Josh Major, Commander of 4th Division and Joint Task Force who was born in North Bay.
See related: Mock disasters are key training exercises for the military
CAF members from 33 Canadian Brigade Group, the Naval Reserve and Royal Canadian Air Force participated alongside partners from Other Government Departments and local First Responder.
A CH-147 Chinook helicopter from 450 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force operated from Explorer's Point in the heart of Mattawa, Ontario on Saturday May 4, 2024. The RCAF provided rapid supply of critical materiel during the simulated flooding emergency.
Combat Engineers from 33 Combat Engineer Regiment in Ottawa and Assault Pioneers from the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment of Peterborough, Belleville and Cobourg, Ontario practiced debris clearance and other related construction tasks during the simulated emergency response at Dorion Hill in Mattawa on May 4.
Naval reserve personnel operated small boats with the Engineers and Pioneers off the marina all day Saturday, practicing emergency water crossing and supply operations.
Hundreds of local Mattawa residents attended a “Meet-a-Soldier” event at the Mattawa Museum at Explorer's Point on Saturday afternoon, where military and other First Responders’ vehicles were on display, and personnel from the CAF and participating organizations were available to speak with the public and show them their various equipment.
This important training supported year-round preparations for emergencies in Canadian communities, including natural disasters like flooding and wildfires, as CAF members need to maintain readiness to deploy in response to official Requests for Assistance and to serve alongside the communities they serve and live in.
When local governments and First Responders are overwhelmed during natural disasters like flooding emergencies, the CAF may respond to Requests for Assistance (RFAs) by deploying assets with specialized equipment and expertise to support our partners, and any communities at risk.
The exercise was held across Ontario with approximately 2,000 Canadian Armed Forces deployed to the vicinity of Mattawa, to South Huron, and to Simcoe County, Ontario. It was led by Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), headquartered in Toronto and responsible for all CAF personnel and assets in Ontario during Operation LENTUS, the year-round CAF operation that provides emergency support to Canadian communities following an official Request for Assistance from local and provincial governments.
CAF members and assets confirmed that they can rapidly respond to major flooding emergencies and can prepare a unified response with local, regional, and other community partners. The Exercise demonstrated joint readiness and interoperability with various RCAF aircraft landing and operating in the area, the RCN operating watercraft in support, and 33 TBG leadership working alongside various partner agencies and organizations.
