July 9, 2014
Revitalized defence infrastructure across Canada will provide the Canadian Armed Forces with the facilities they need to support troops, military families and the Reserve forces, as well as operations at home and abroad, and ensure the health and safety of our men and women in uniform.
At the Vernon Military Camp, a series of projects totalling $3.3 million will allow a substantial refurbishment of the facility, with work including the replacement of building siding, windows, roofing and flooring, repainting, re-leveling, upgrading of washrooms, repaving of select roads, fencing improvements, and upgrading of fire protection systems including hydrants.
Established for military training in 1912, the VMC is a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) installation used primarily by Reserve elements of the military and by Canada’s Cadet Program. The Camp is home to “B” Squadron of the British Columbia Dragoons, a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment, as well as to the Vernon Cadet Training Centre. Regular Force units as well as foreign military also occasionally use the VMC.
In 2003, the VMC hosted a task force for Operation Peregrine. “Op Peregrine” was a domestic Canadian Armed Forces operation which saw more than 2,200 military personnel deployed to help battle more than 800 wildfires in the B.C. Interior.
Due to its location and infrastructure, the VMC remains a potential locale to support future CAF operations in the event of a provincial emergency.
The Vernon Cadet Training Centre is now the oldest continuous cadet training centre in Canada, having first operated as a cadet training facility in 1949.
Cadets are not members of the Canadian Armed Forces nor are they expected to join the military. While they are introduced to Sea, Army and/or Air activities of the Canadian Armed Forces and certain traditions, they are also introduced to many other respectable career choices that are available to them.
