CAF training exercise planned

The Canadian Armed Forces will lead an emergency response exercise in Eastern Ontario January 30-February 1. The multi-agency exercise is part of Exercise Trillium Response, a province-wide joint operation which will be coordinated with the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre in Toronto. About 150 CAF members will be involved locally. (CAF photo)

CORNWALL – A major emergency response exercise will take place at the end of the month to prepare national and local agencies on how to deal with weather-related incidents.

Named Exercise Trillium Response, about 150 Canadian Armed Forces personnel will be set up at the Cornwall Armoury in this training exercise. It is similar in scope to a training exercise held by the CAF in late April 2025.

About 150 soldiers from the Canadian Army’s 33 Canadian Brigade Group will coordinate the operation from the armouries and work with local agencies and governments including OPP, City of Cornwall, Emergency Management Ontario, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, and the United Counties of Leeds-Grenville, and Canadian National Railways. Transport Canada will also be involved in the exercises, which includes a simulated weather-related incident. One of the planned scenarios is a simulated response to a train derailment in South Dundas.

The exercise is part of province-wide training that weekend, which will be coordinated by the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre.

Operations will be centred on Cornwall, with training happening on the armoury grounds. CAF officials stressed that no weapons or ammunition will be present during the training. The military said that the public may see increased military traffic on Highway 138 and 417 between Cornwall and Ottawa during the exercise period.

“This important training supports year-round preparations for emergencies in Canadian communities, include natural disasters like major storms, flooding, and wildfires, as our members maintain readiness to deploy in response to Requests for Assistance, and to serve alongside community members and other first responders,” said Lt(N) Andrew McLaughlin with the 33 Canadian Brigade Group.

The CAF recently sent an advance team to the Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba to assist with infrastructure issues, and in 2025 the CAF assisted in several wildfire domestic disaster responses, along with assisting with water distribution in Nunavut.

On the Cornwall exercises, the CAF asked for the public to be cautious approaching military vehicles in the community.

“The CAF is extremely grateful to the City of Cornwall, SDG Counties, other local partners, and the citizens of these communities for their hospitality and patience while we conduct this important emergency response exercise.”