Appendix 1 – Regulations governing the award of the Special Service Medal (SSM)

(Reprint of Consolidated Regulations - 2013, P.C. 1992-2294, as amended by P.C. 1999-1741, P.C. 2019-1220 and P.C. 2024-0517)

Short title

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Special Service Medal Regulations.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations:
   • “Bar” means the Bar referred to in subsection 4(3); (barrette)
   • “Medal” means the Special Service Medal  described in section 4; (Médaille)

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Designation

3. There shall be a medal designated as the “Special Service Medal”.

Description

4. 1. The Medal shall be circular in form, of copper and zinc alloy:
      1. bearing on the obverse a maple leaf surrounded by a laurel wreath;
      2. bearing on the reverse the inscription “SPECIAL SERVICE SPÉCIAL” ensigned with the Royal Crown and Cipher; and
      3. except when the Medal bears the Royal Crown and Cypher of Queen Elizabeth II, engraved on the rim, the recipient’s service or regimental number, rank, initials of their given names, and surname or, in the case of a civilian recipient, their given names and surname.
   2. The Medal shall be suspended from a dark green ribbon flanked with white and edged with red.
   3. The Medal shall be awarded with a Bar that the Governor in Council specifies as representing the service referred to in paragraph 5(a) to (e).
   4. A small silver, gold or red maple leaf shall be worn on the undress ribbon to indicate a second, third or fourth award, respectively.

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Eligibility

5. A person is eligible to be awarded the Medal if the person has served at the initiative, by the nomination or with the agreement of the Government of Canada and:
   1. is a member of the Canadian Forces who has engaged in an activity that the Governor in Council determines is special service that merits recognition;
   2. is a member of an allied force who, on or after April 29, 2014, worked as an integral part of the Canadian Forces, including a member who participated in an exchange program, and otherwise meets the criteria applicable to a member of the Canadian Forces referred to in paragraph a;
   3. is sworn as a police officer by a recognized Canadian police force who has, on or after April 29, 2014, engaged in an activity that the Governor in Council determines is special service that merits recognition;
   4. is a member of an allied police force who, on or after April 29, 2014, worked as an integral part of a Canadian police force, including a member who participated in an exchange program, and otherwise meets the criteria applicable to a police officer referred to in paragraph c; or
   5. is a Canadian citizen in the employ of the Crown in right of Canada or of the Staff of the Non-Public Funds, Canadian Forces, or under contract with the Government of Canada — other than a member of the Canadian Forces or a person sworn as a police officer by a recognized Canadian police force — who has, on or after April 29, 2014, engaged in an activity that the Governor in Council determines is special service that merits recognition.
6. The following activities do not constitute special service that merits recognition:
   1. visits and inspections for leadership, command or familiarization purposes;
   2. ceremonial or morale-building visits by military, police or civilian dignitaries;
   3. visits by embedded journalists or war artists; and
   4. any other similar activity.

Awards

7. An award of the Medal shall be made by the Governor General, who signs an instrument of award.
8. The Medal may be awarded posthumously.

Presentation

9. Unless the Governor General directs otherwise, the Medal shall be presented by arrangement with the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Wearing of medals

10. 1. The Medal shall be worn on the left breast in accordance with the order of precedence determined by the Governor in Council.
    2. When only one Bar is awarded, it shall be worn centred on the ribbon. When several Bars are awarded, they shall be spaced evenly on the ribbon in the order that they were earned. The first Bar earned shall be worn closest to the Medal.
    3. When the undress ribbon is worn, a silver maple leaf shall be worn centred on the ribbon of the Medal to indicate the awarding of a second Bar, a gold maple leaf shall be worn to indicate the awarding of a third Bar, and a red maple leaf shall be worn to indicate the awarding of a fourth Bar. If more than four Bars have been awarded, the maple leaves shall be worn in combination so as to indicate the total number of Bars awarded.
11. A person to whom the Medal has been awarded may wear a miniature of the Medal on all occasions when the wearing of miniatures is customary.

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Cancellation and reinstatement

12. 1. The Governor General may, on the advice of the Chief of the Defence Staff:
       1. cancel or annul the award of the Medal to any person; and
       2. restore the award of a Medal that has been cancelled or annulled under paragraph (a).
    2. Where the award of a Medal is cancelled or annulled under paragraph (a) the name of the person to whom the Medal was awarded shall be deleted from the register referred to in paragraph 14 (c).

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Administration

13. The Chief of the Defence Staff shall recommend to the Governor General the persons who are eligible for the award of the Medal.
14. The Director Honours the Chancellery, shall:
    1. prepare the instruments of award for the signature of the Governor General;
    2. acquire the Medals and Bars at public expense;
    3. maintain a register containing the names of the persons to whom the Medal is awarded and such other records relating to the award as the Director considers necessary; and
    4. perform such other functions in respect of awards of the Medal as the Governor General may require.

General

15. Nothing in these Regulations limits the rights of the Governor General to exercise all powers and authorities of the Sovereign of Canada in respect of the Medal.

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