Canadian Rangers

Key Facts

Background

• The Canadian Rangers are a subcomponent of the Reserve Force, and provide surveillance and sovereignty patrols, conduct training and support CAF operations to include federal responses to flooding, fires, and community evacuation events, and may be called upon to support provincial, territorial, and local authorities conduct ground search and rescue.
• Canadian Rangers are trained and supported by the CA and work in approximately 200 communities to provide a CAF local presence, operational capability, and support to community resiliency in remote, northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada that cannot be expeditiously supported by other elements of the CAF.
• Canadian Rangers are considered trained upon enrolment, receive no mandatory individual training.
• The Canadian Rangers also play a critical role in support of Indigenous communities, including during the pandemic through the transportation and distribution of information and supplies, provision of wellness checks, and staffing of emergency centres. In addition, they provide evacuation support in the event of flooding and fires.

Tasks Assigned to the Canadian Rangers

• Conduct and provide support to Sovereignty Operations;
• Conduct and provide assistance to Domestic Operations;
• Maintain a CAF presence in the local community;
• Instruct, mentor, and supervise the Junior Canadian Rangers, and;
• Participate in and support events in the local community.

Canadian Ranger Training

There are two optional Individual Training courses offered to the CRs:

• Basic Military Indoctrination training that lasts 7 days and includes:
  • General Canadian Ranger service knowledge, CAF benefits, and administrative requirements;
  • Function as a patrol member and how to fire the service Ranger rifle, and;
  • Employ bush craft and first aid.
• Canadian Ranger Patrol Leaders Course that lasts 8 days:
  • Leading a patrol and conducting patrol administration and small arms ranges.

Common training for all CRs include:

• Flood or fire evacuation planning, self-sufficiency and leadership, Ground Search and Rescue
• Sovereignty patrols of Canada’s remote coastal areas and air disaster assistance
• Traditional skills – defined according to the cultural and historical practices in the local community

Employment

• The CRs employed for force generation are funded by the Canadian Army for part-time, basic, individual, and collective training activities, such as:
  • Basic and routine local training
  • Individual Training and unmentored patrol activity
  • Collective patrol training
  • Compensated (Paid) 12 days per year
• The Canadian Rangers employed for force employment are funded by CJOC for full-time participation on operations and exercises, such as:
  • CAF training/exercises and any non-military/non-operational event.
  • Conduct and provide assistance to Domestic Operations (DOMOPS)
  • Conduct and provide support to Sovereignty Operations (SOVOP)
• Junior Canadian Rangers Program
  • The JCR program is a youth program. Under the Mentorship of the CRs, the program provides young Canadians (ages 12 to 18) with Ranger skills, life skills and traditional skills based on the culture and history of their local communities.

Reimbursement Issues

• Acquiring equipment for Canadian Rangers through the local economy or the Canadian Forces Supply System presents significant sustainment challenges.
• As such, a Canadian Ranger authorized to use personal equipment for an approved CAF activity that incurs damage or the loss of equipment is entitled to reasonable cost of repairs or the fair market value of a replacement item, so long as these items are not already insured under a private premium.
• The primary source of delay in payment for a loss or damage claim is the Canadian Armed Forces obligation to meet the conditions set out in DAOD 7004-2, Compensation for Loss or Damage to Personal Property and CBI 210.01(4) (Canadian Rangers – Equipment eligible for compensation) prior to authorizing said payment.
• If a loss or damage claim can be completed prior to the Canadian Ranger Instructor leaving the community, reimbursement can normally be completed through direct deposit within a few weeks. Additionally, a commanding officer is authorized to grant a cash advance, equal to the amount of the claim, but not exceeding $1,000 which enables prompt payment in many cases.
• In most cases however, repairs cannot be completed prior to the departure of the Canadian Ranger Instructor due to the lack of spare parts or insufficient local technical expertise to repair the vehicle.
• In recognition of the importance of this personal equipment to the livelihood of the Canadian Rangers, the CAF has recently streamlined the compensation claims process to allow more immediate levels of authority in their chain of command to approve their compensation claims. This will significantly expedite the process for Canadian Rangers to receive their reimbursement for repair or replacement of personal equipment in a timely manner.