Land Force Central Area Training Centre Meaford
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4th Canadian Division Training Centre (also 4 CDTC) is a
Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...
training facility operated by
4th Canadian Division The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantr ...
of the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
. It is located in Grey County,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, in the
Saugeen Ojibway Nation The Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory ( oj, Saukiing Anishnaabekiing), also known as ''Saugeen Ojibway Nation'', ''SON'' and the ''Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory'', is the name applied to Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugee ...
traditional territory, northwest of the Meaford townsite and approximately east of
Owen Sound Owen Sound ( 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers on an inlet of Georgian Bay. The primary tourist attract ...
on a peninsula extending into
Georgian Bay Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To ...
. Relatively few military personnel are stationed at the training centre as it serves primarily for training
Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...
and regular force stationed within 4th Canadian Division. The training centre conducts year-round courses for Regular Force personnel, generally the DP1 Infantryman for the Royal Canadian Regiment, while expanding dramatically during the summer months to accommodate many courses for Primary Reserve personnel. During the period of June–September every year, 4 CDTC Meaford serves as the primary training location for Primary Reserve and exercises for units from the 4th Canadian Division. It provides sniper training for Toronto's
Emergency Task Force The Emergency Task Force (ETF) is the tactical unit of the Toronto Police Service. Created in 1965, it is mandated to deal with high risk situations like hostage taking, emotionally disturbed persons, high risk arrests, warrant service, and protec ...
.


Camp Meaford

In 1942, the
Department of National Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
purchased of private lands along the
Georgian Bay Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To ...
in the St. Vincent Township. The southern edge of this property is northwest of the town of Meaford and its western boundary is northeast of the city of
Owen Sound Owen Sound ( 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers on an inlet of Georgian Bay. The primary tourist attract ...
. The property is centred on Cape Rich, a headland extending into Georgian Bay which divides Owen Sound from Nottawasaga Bay. The Meaford Military Camp (also known as Camp Meaford or locally as The Tank Range) was intended for tank warfare and artillery gunnery training. Its landscape included limestone cliffs, dense forest and rolling open agricultural land, as well as swamps, all based on a topography of heavy clay broken up by a vast distribution of rock, Mountain Lake, and a shoreline. The facility was administratively an annex to Camp Borden. From its inception during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
until the late 1960s when the
Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...
were unified, Camp Meaford was used extensively by regular force
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
units assigned to Camp Borden. It hosted the following training schools for exercises and driver training: * Royal Canadian Armoured School * Royal Canadian School of Infantry * School of Intelligence and Security * School of Administration and Logistics (formerly the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps School) * School of Medical Services The integration of the modern-day Canadian Forces saw the transfer of the Combat Arms School from
CFB Borden Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Borden, is a large Canadian Forces base located in Ontario. The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CF ...
to CFB Gagetown in 1969–1970, dramatically reducing the requirement for Camp Meaford. In 1970, it was decided to mothball the entire facility, reducing staffing from 153 military and civilian personnel to a five-person security staff of Commissionaires. :"...when Meaford Range is dormatized...it will no longer be used for military purposes, including Regular Force and Militia exercises, training and field firing." (April 1970 DND internal communication) During the early 1970s, units of the Canadian Forces
Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...
began to make unofficial use of this DND property only north of
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, rather than face the drive to CFB Petawawa for training.


Meaford Range and Training Area

A 1973 study recommended Camp Meaford be reactivated as a Primary Reserve training facility for manoeuvres and live firing exercises to save on transportation costs. The Meaford Range and Training Area reopened that year and saw use by Reserve Force, Regular Force, cadets and police forces for training. The introduction of new vehicles and weaponry, namely in the form of the Grizzly and Cougar light armoured vehicles in the early 1980s, saw use of MRTA ranges increase substantially, particularly after it was determined CFB Petawawa's ranges were insufficient. MRTA saw increased use through the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve began to increase in numbers.


Militia Training and Support Centre, Meaford

In September 1988, it was announced that MRTA would be renamed Militia Training and Support Centre, Meaford (MTSCM) and would become the focal point for training all reserve units in Ontario. The creation of MTSCM saw all buildings and areas of the camp reactivated in August 1989 and a small number of personnel and civilian employees stationed at the facility full-time. By 1995, over $80 million ($ million in ) in new construction for buildings, roads, waterworks and sewage disposal had taken place. Over $20 million ($ million in ) in equipment and supplies were positioned at MTSCM to complement its training and support role.


LFCATC Meaford

A mid-1990s reorganization of the
Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...
saw Force Mobile Command redesignated
Land Force Command The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respon ...
, with its units across Canada divided geographically. The newly created
Land Force Central Area The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantr ...
redesignated MTSCM into Land Force Central Area Training Centre Meaford (LFCATC Meaford). LFCATC Meaford is currently the primary training centre for 4th Canadian Division's reserve units. Regular Force units from CFB Petawawa are also minor users of the facility. The training centre conducts year-round courses for regular force personnel, while expanding dramatically during the summer months to accommodate many courses for reserve personnel. During the period of September–June, LFCATC Meaford serves as the primary weekend training location for reserve unit exercises for units from the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. In total, the region contains 25 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. The Greater T ...
and other locations across Southern Ontario. LFCA TC Meaford currently holds basic qualification courses as well as infantry and artillery training. It is visited by various outside units including multiple police forces and other nations. It also provides minimal simulators and training for urban environments.


4th Canadian Division Training Centre (4 CDTC)

In 2013 Meaford was renamed the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre when Land Force Central Area became the 4th Canadian Division.


Facilities

Facilities are managed by
Canadian Base Operators Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
. There is one large dining hall and several messes. A sewage treatment and water purification plant is also on LFCATC Meaford grounds. A
pumped-storage hydroelectricity Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of gravitational potential ...
project was preliminarily approved in 2021.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meaford Canadian Forces bases in Ontario Buildings and structures in Grey County 1942 establishments in Ontario