Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE confirms JTFC’s ability to support Ontario during natural disasters

March 15, 2023 – Defence Stories

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Caption Members of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) discuss planning and execution to respond to a request for assistance (RFA) during Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE at Denison Armoury in Toronto. Photo credit: MCpl Justin Roy, 4^th Canadian Division Imagery Technician

Members of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) participated in Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE at Denison Armoury in Toronto, Ontario from March 4 to 5, 2023 to confirm JTFC’s ability to respond to requests for assistance from Ontario during natural disasters.

Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE is the second of two exercises completed by JTFC. Through a practical application of lessons learned on Exercise TRILLIUM DRAGON, Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE is a rehearsal of a domestic operation response, which provides a realistic and challenging scenario to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of Joint Task Force Central, while testing JTFC Headquarters’ command and control along with its partner government agencies.

“This is part of our TRILLIUM Series of Exercises, where we plan and execute a series of continuous operations to respond to any kind of domestic scenario which may pop up over the coming year” said Brigadier-General Josh Major, Commander of JTFC. “Basically, we’re re-creating the ice storm scenario in 1998 in parts of Ontario and Quebec, and relaying that to different parts of Ontario. That gives our troops the opportunity to work through the planning to help manage the situation in different communities across southern and eastern Ontario”.

The reliance on Joint Task Force Central support by the Province of Ontario, as demonstrated by frequent Requests for Assistance (RFA), requires the rehearsal of domestic operations

response. The TRILLIUM Series of Exercises provides an opportunity for JTFC members to continue honing skills and remain prepared to assist Canadians when called upon by provincial authorities to help during natural disasters.

In this scenario, an ice-storm rolled through much of southern and eastern Ontario, requiring JTFC to respond to a request for assistance from the province. When asked about the challenges faced during such a scenario, Lieutenant (Navy) Thomas Ionson from JTFC responded, “When emergencies like this happen, the list of effects that needs to be achieved sometimes exceeds the number of resources available to us. So, some of challenges we usually face is how to manage resources best to achieve the greatest effect on the ground; prioritizing the kind of support that is needed to make sure that we’re helping those most vulnerable first, and how to integrate with the province’s own emergency management plan as we’re there to support them.”

Exercise TRILLIUM RESPONSE ended up being an excellent confirmation of JTFC’s quick-response ability. Although this was a training scenario, mother nature helped make it as realistic as possible by dumping 25-30cm of snow in the GTA in the early morning of March 4^th.

Now that training has concluded, the people of Ontario can be assured that when called upon, JTFC has the personnel who are ready to provide unique and robust resources to support civilian authorities in serving Canadians affected by natural disasters.