Exercise COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT 2025 

Article / December 12, 2025 / National Defence

By Lieutenant Helen Hawes, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

This fall, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) hosted Exercise COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT 2025 at Garrison Petawawa. This large-scale event brought together government and industry leaders to experience the Canadian Army’s training and readiness first-hand.  

Action in the field  
The exercise featured a wide range of military activities designed to showcase Army capabilities. Participants toured military equipment displays, witnessed a firepower demonstration, and concluded their experience with a simulated urban assault mission.  

Each activity highlighted the Army’s precision, speed, and adaptability but also current challenges that require flexible and modern solutions. 2 CMBG’s combat units showcased realistic training for high-intensity missions, and how their skills and teamwork come together under demanding conditions. As one participant stated: “Our platoon Lieutenant had good energy, answered all our questions, but they wouldn’t let us cut corners. By the end of the morning, we were marching in ranks, in step!”

Hands-on experience  
Exercise COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT 25 focused wholly on interaction. The participants had the chance to meet and train alongside soldiers, which was the most valuable part of the experience. Participants spoke with both troops and army leaders, gaining insight into the discipline and determination that drive Canada’s modern land forces.  

Participants were taught to gear up and operate basic equipment, and were offered the opportunity to take part in an urban assault scenario, bridging the gap between theory and practice while providing a firsthand look at the physical and mental demands of soldiering.    

Modernizing for the future  
Alongside the live demonstrations, the exercise underlined the Canadian Army’s ongoing efforts to modernize. The Army must become more agile and technologically advanced in order to better protect Canada’s interests—at home and abroad.  

>In welcoming participants, Colonel Jordan Schaub, Commander 2 CMBG said: “The Brigade’s greatest assets are our dedicated soldiers, sailors, and aviators. To achieve our modernization goals, they require equipment that meets the demands of modern conflict.” 

People at the centre  
Despite the need for new technology and equipment, the heart of the Army remains its people. Exercise COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT 25 emphasized the importance of leadership, teamwork, and culture. It also underscored the pressures soldiers face: many participants took time to reflect on the simple challenge of wearing all the gear—the physicality, the weight, the long hours—and expressed a renewed sense of respect for our soldiers and their reality.  

As the event concluded, participants departed Garrison Petawawa with a deeper appreciation the professionalism and dedication of those who serve Canada every day.