What We Do

What we do

    • Three or four times a year we conduct Field Training Exercises (FTX) where Cadets participate in weekend training in conservation areas and military training centres in central Ontario. Cadets learn navigation, field craft skills, build improvised shelters, erect tents and ‘two-person hooches’ using shelters halves;

    • Support the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 75 during the annual Poppy Campaign;
    • Honour those who have served Canada by participating in Remembrance Day Ceremonies;
    • Sports activities and competitions;
    • Range training and competitions;
    • Special tours and visits to places like Casa Loma, museums, CFB Borden, the Royal Canadian Military Institute, and the Canadian Forces Staff College, to name a few;
    • Adventure days that include:

      • Treetop Trekking;
      • Bowling;
      • Snowshoeing;
      • Skiing;
      • Snow-Tubing;
      • GPS Navigation;
      • Orienteering;
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    • Opportunities for international travel during March Break. For example, in 2018 we travelled to Fort Drum from 9-15 March with 100 Cadets and staff (of which 24 Cadets were from 709). The Cadets had a great time visiting the 10th Mountain Division and seeing the great displays they provided for us.
    • Amateur Radio Training

Star Levels

709 Toronto Signals, like all Army Cadet Corps, is composed of four levels known as “Star”, which identify the year of training the Cadet members are in. Starting from entry level, we have Green Star, Red Star, Silver Star and Gold Star, which are the senior Cadets who may also staff the Headquarters Troop.   

 

Expeditions

Various training expeditions are held throughout the Cadet training year. Weekend expeditions are held for Cadets in their third and fourth year training levels (Silver and Gold Star), and multi-week regional, national, and international expeditions are available for Cadets in their fifth training level. Expeditions involve, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, and other physical outdoor activities.

 

Teams

709 Toronto Signals operates various optional teams during the training year. Generally, the optional training takes place on Monday evenings, and normally at Fort York Armoury. Some of these optional training activities can lead to participation in inter-unit competitions at the local, regional, provincial and national levels. These teams are optional to join, but require a high level of commitment and attendance for those on them. The teams include Air Rifle Shooting Team, Orienteering Team (outdoor map and compass navigation), and Flag Party, to name a few.