Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School

When can I visit a recruit or an officer-cadet in training?

Visits are not authorized during the indoctrination period first three weekends of the course) or when the platoon is given supplementary training on weekends. Once the indoctrination period is over, candidates may welcome guests on Saturday (from 1 pm to 10 pm), on Sunday (from 8:30 am to 7 pm) and on statutory holidays (from 1 pm to 10 pm). Guests must be welcomed at the Rotunda and may go to the Subway, the Canex, the O'Mega Mess, the cafeteria or the orange corridor. All other areas are explicitly out of bounds to any guests.

Accommodations in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

For more information regarding places to stay and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu area, visit Haut Richelieu tourism's website.

Accommodations at the Saint-Jean Garrison (for military members only)

Please contact the Exacta Centre:450-358-7099, extension 6110

Contact the Exacta Centre by email.

How to get to the Saint-Jean Garrison

Address:

Saint-Jean Garrison
25 Grand-Bernier
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qc

From Montreal:

1. Cross the Champlain Bridge
2. Take Highway 10 East
3. Exit #22, Highway 35 South
4. Exit #45, Rue Pierre-Caisse
5. At the lights, turn left
6. Keep your right and at the lights, turn right on Rue Pierre-Caisse
7. At the lights, turn left on Rue Grand-Bernier
8. Drive for approximately 3 Km. The Saint-Jean Garrison will be located on your left after Des Carrières Street

From Québec City:

1. Take Highway 20 West
2. Exit #98 West, Highway 30 West
3. Exit #67, Highway 10 East
4. Go to step 3 of previous menu

From Montreal-Trudeau International Airport:

1. When you leave the airport, follow the indications for Highway 20 East
2. On Highway 20 East, follow the indications for Champlain Bridge
3. Go to step 1 of first menu

From Hull / Ottawa:

1. Highway 417 East becomes Highway 40 East in Quebec
2. Exit #32, Highway 540/ Highway 20/ON-401/Salaberry de Valleyfield/Toronto
3. Continue on Highway 30 East (toll road)
4. Exit #67, Highway 10 East
5. Go to step 3 of first menu

From Kingston:

1. Highway 401 East becomes Highway 20 East in Quebec
2. Exit Highway 30 East (toll road)
3. Exit #67, Highway 10 East
4. Go to step 3 of first menu

Public Transportation from Montreal:

1. At Terminus AMT Centre-ville, take Bus 96 to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (French only).
2. Once at the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Station, take a taxi (approximately 10 minutes away from the Garrison).
3. If you are arriving at the Montreal-Trudeau Airport, take the 747 P-E-Trudeau/Downtown Bus to the Terminus AMT Centre-ville (French only).
4. The Train Station (Gare Centrale) is of walking distance to the Terminus AMT Centre-ville.

Conditions of admission

1. Can I apply to take the Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) or the Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ) at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School?

No. CFLRS is responsible for basic training for selected officers and non-commissioned members (NCMs) who join the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force. To enrol, visit the Canadian Armed Forces Jobs website or contact your local recruiting centre at 1-800-856-8488.
To enrol, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen;
• be at least 18 years old (17 with parental consent), except
  • for paid study programs, be at least 16 years of age (with parental consent);
  • for the Primary Reserve, be at least 16 years of age (with parental consent) and be a full-time student;
• have completed at least Grade 10 or, in Quebec, Secondary IV (some occupations require higher education).

2. Can I take “boot camp” type training at CFLRS to get into shape in preparation for enrolling in the Canadian Forces?

No. Tips on preparing for basic training can be found at the following link: About basic training.

Practical information for admitted candidates and their family members

1. My family member / friend received an offer of admission to start military training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School. Where can I find information about the various administrative details related to entering CFLRS?

See the joining instructions. This document contains a wealth of information on the administrative procedures to be completed in connection with basic military training at CFLRS.

2. How can I reach the candidate quickly in the event of an emergency?

In the event of an emergency, candidates can be reached by telephone through the CFLRS Coordination Centre at 450-358-7099, ext 7229.

3. When can I visit a family member / friend who is training at CFLRS?

Visits are allowed and even encouraged. However, they are limited to the Orange sector of the General J.-V. Allard Building. Visits can be scheduled at specific times during weekend leaves. No visits are allowed during the week or during the indoctrination period (the first three weeks of training for BMQ and the first four weeks for BMOQ). Consult your family member / friend to coordinate a visit.

4. What is the mailing address of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School?

The mailing address for CFLRS candidates is:

Serial number
Rank, last name, initials
Course number
CFLRS
Saint-Jean Garrison
PO Box 100, Stn Bureau-chef
Richelain, QC J0J 1R0

If the sender does not include the service number and course number, delivery of the shipment could be delayed. Priority Post and parcels sent via courier are accepted, and no signature is required.

5. Once mail is received at CFLRS, how long does it take to reach the candidates? Is it the orderly room’s normal procedure to hold the mail until a certain time?

The mail is never held. The orderly room receives the mail from the Garrison Post Office and distributes it as soon as possible. If you want to track something sent by courier, you must provide the orderly room with the tracking number.

The time required for mail or other deliveries to reach the candidates depends on many factors. The platoon is responsible for picking up the mail for daily distribution to candidates by platoon staff.

Note that all packages are opened by platoon staff. Cold, flu or other over-the-counter medications will be held and returned to candidates at the end of the course. For the duration of training, our medical services will look after candidates’ health and provide them with any necessary medications.

Candidates have the right to receive “care packages” containing baked goods, etc. However, food cannot be stored or consumed in quarters.

Mail delivery time is longer when the platoon is deployed in the field at the Farnham site.

6. Can a candidate use his or her own automobile?

Yes. Parking is free and candidates must use the parking area indicated in the joining instructions.

7. Are quarters available at Saint-Jean Garrison for visitors?

A limited number of quarters are available for CAF members, veterans and civilian DND employees through the Exacta Centre.

Exacta Centre
Centreexactasjn@forces.gc.ca
450-358-7099, ext 6110

Where can I stay when I visit Saint-Jean Garrison?

See the following link for information on accommodation in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Training Reintegration Program

1. My family member / friend has been injured and is now in the Training Reintegration Program (TRP). Can I find out when he/she will return to training?

The purpose of the ERP is to train candidates and assist in reintegrating those who were not adequately prepared for basic training or who sustain injuries during the BMQ/BMOQ and return them to training as soon as possible.

Under the Privacy Act, we are not allowed to discuss your family member / friend’s situation. We suggest that you contact him or her directly. Your family member / friend should know the options available depending on his/her status and may, if he/she wishes, explain them to you. If the candidate has concerns or questions, he/she should not hesitate to communicate with his/her chain of command himself/herself to obtain clarification.

Christmas leave and statutory holidays

1. Following the indoctrination period, do the candidates have weekends off?

After the indoctrination period, candidates may have their weekends free if they are meeting the standards, and they are allowed to leave the Garrison at the end of the training day. Usually, that will be around 5:30 pm on Friday, and they are required to return by 6:00 pm on Sunday. We suggest that you communicate directly with your family member / friend to find out the details concerning weekends off.

2. During the year, does training continue on statutory holidays?

Yes. In addition, if the indoctrination period overlaps with a statutory holiday, including the Easter holidays, visits are prohibited.

3. My family member / friend will start training sometime before the Christmas holidays. Will the training continue during that period? Will there be a break?

There is a block leave from mid-December (a Friday) to the second week of January (a Monday). The 2022–2023 block leave will begin on December 16, 2022, and end on January 7, 2023.

The administrative details concerning this leave will be communicated to the candidates by their chain of command. You should contact your family member / friend to coordinate all the details related to his/her leave, including times of departure from and return to CFLRS.

Graduation ceremonies

1. I need to coordinate the availability of family members for the candidate’s graduation ceremony. I seem to remember that the ceremonies are held on a Thursday. Is that still the case?

Yes. The BMQ and BMOQ graduation ceremonies are always held on a Thursday at 2:00 pm. You should communicate with your family member / friend to coordinate all the details related to attending his/her graduation ceremony. The only exception is the BMOQ graduation ceremony for specialized trades such as chaplains and social workers, which is held on a Friday morning.

2. Will I be able to see my family member / friend the evening before the graduation ceremony, or the day after it?

You should communicate with your family member / friend to coordinate all the details related to attending his/her graduation ceremony and departure from the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School. For more information, see the Graduation Ceremonies section above.

3. Does the Government of Canada cover the costs for parents who live in another province and want to attend their son or daughter’s graduation ceremony?

There is no Canadian government program or budget covering the costs for parents who want to attend a son or daughter’s graduation ceremony.

4. Are the locations where the graduation ceremonies are held accessible to persons with reduced mobility?

Yes. However, so that we can properly manage available seating and accommodate special needs, graduates must inform their chain of command of any special needs.

5. Several platoons will participate in my family member / friend’s graduation ceremony. Is it possible to find out the location in the stands with the best view of his/her platoon?

Signs indicating the platoon numbers will be displayed on the stands facing the locations of the respective platoons. Make sure you know your family member / friend’s platoon number.

6. Are we limited to a certain number of seats for the graduation ceremony?

Graduation ceremonies usually include two to five platoons of about 45 candidates each. The stands can accommodate nearly 550 people. For planning purposes, we estimate two guests per graduate. Your family member / friend must inform the chain of command if he/she expects more than two guests to attend.

7. As a former CAF member, can I wear my uniform?

In accordance with QR&O Volume 1, para 17.06, “A former member of the Regular Force or Reserve Force, who was released for a reason other than misconduct may wear uniform … with the permission of an officer commanding a command or his designated authority …, when attending a military entertainment or ceremony at which the wearing of uniform is appropriate ….”

The request must be submitted by the graduate through his/her chain of command.

Veterans are welcome to wear their medals.

8. I have to book flights to see my family member / friend graduate from CFLRS. So that I can avoid last-minute booking costs, can you confirm that he/she will actually be graduating?

Only your family member / friend can confirm this. CFLRS cannot provide you with that information, as it is protected under the Privacy Act.

Miscellaneous

1. Can I do an internship in accounting or another specific subject at CFLRS?

Due to the high operational tempo and the resources available, we are unable to accept interns in any specific field at CFLRS.