5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG) is a Canadian Army battle formation with an establishment of close to 5,000 members of the Regular and Reserve forces as well as civilian employees.

A front line formation of the National Defence, 5 CMBG plays a major role in the organization of the defence of North America. Active members of Canadian society, the men and women who make up 5 CMBG are committed to aiding and assisting their fellow citizens when circumstances demand, as was the case during the Saguenay River floods in Quebec, the Red River floods in Manitoba and the ice storm that struck the greater Montreal area.

More recently, members of the Brigade were deployed in the Montérégie RCM and across the province in 2017 to lend support to civilian authorities during spring floodings.

On the international scene, more than 10,000 members of 5 CMBG have been deployed since 1990 as part of peacekeeping operations. The deployments have made these men and women true ambassadors of Canada abroad.

• 5^e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada (5 RALC)
• 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada (12 RBC)
• 5 Combat Engineer Regiment (5 CER)
• Headquarters and Signals Squadron (HQ & Sig Sqn)
• 1 Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment (1 R22^eR)
• 2 Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment (2 R22^eR)
• 3 Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment (3 R22^eR)
• 5 Service Battalion (5 Svc Bn)

• 5 Field Ambulance (5 Fd Amb)
• Dental Unit Detachment, Valcartier
• 5 Military Police Platoon (5 MPP)
• 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (430 Tac Hel Sqn)

• Commander: Colonel Cédric Aspirault, OMM, CD
• Sergeant Major: Chief Warrant Officer J.P. Gagné, MMM, CD

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG) is similar in name to the 5^th Brigade of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, for which Camp Valcartier was built. Founded in 1914, the 5^th Brigade of the Canadian Expeditionary Force distinguished itself in many battles, particularly at Ypres, Vimy, The Somme, Passchendale and the Hindenburg Line. The 5^th Brigade of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was reconstituted in September 1939 as an active service formation. With the end of the war, the brigade was disbanded and its units resumed their role within the Canadian Reserves.

The establishment of 5 Combat Group was tied to the creation of the new units under its control and between 1977 and 1992, name changes became a relatively frequent occurrence for 5 Combat Group in order to reflect different operational roles. Thus, 5 Combat Group became 5 Canadian Brigade Group (1977), 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade (1989) and, finally, 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1992).

Today, 5 CMBG is made up of eight units: a light artillery regiment, an armoured regiment, a combat engineer regiment, a headquarters and signals squadron, three infantry battalions and a ser vi ce battalion. Four other units provide support to 5 CMBG troops: 5 Field Ambulance, Dental Unit Detachment - Valcartier, 5 Military Police Platoon and 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron.

For information about the vehicles and weapons used by the Canadian Army visit our Equipment page.

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters
2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier , building 513
P.O. Box 1000, Succ Forces
Courcelette, Québec G0A 4Z0

Téléphone : 418-844-5000, Ext. 4688

affairespubliques.valcartier@forces.gc.ca