Frequently Asked Questions

 

What kind of commitment is expected ?

You are expected to attend weekly training, each Tuesday. In addition, you will be expected to participate in fund raising activities throughout the year. Many optional activities are available throughout the week such as range practice.

 

How much does membership in the Air Cadets cost ?

 

$0.00

 

The Cadet Program is funded by the Department of National Defence in partnership with the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada. The civilian sponsor requires local community support to meet its obligations that include accommodations, training aids and equipment and program enhancements not otherwise provided. Parents and Cadets are expected to participate in and contribute to fundraising as required by the League’s local sponsoring element.

The Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces assumes most of the costs (including uniform and travel) for Cadets. Consequently, membership in the Cadet Program provides thousands of Canadian youth with unique opportunities free of charge that they might not otherwise experience — making the Cadet Program a viable option.

 

There are no charges for

• Membership

• All mandatory training activities (including gliding)

• Uniforms (more than $600.00 in value to be returned in good order)

 

 

There are sometimes nominal charges for:

• Some social activities (Dances, Dinners etc.)

• Some optional training activities

• Reward trips

 

Who Can Join?

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To be eligible for membership as a Cadet one must:

 

•  be a legal resident of Canada:NOTE: A legal resident of Canada is a Canadian citizen, a landed immigrant, or, the dependant of a person who is lawfully resident in Canada on a temporary basis for the purpose of education or employment.

• provide proof of provincial health insurance coverage or equivalent (ie. OHIP);

• be at least 12 years of age;

• not have attained 19 years of age;

• normally be in good physical condition;

• not belong to another corps or squadron; and

• be accepted by the Commanding Officer (CO) of the cadet corps or squadron.

 

The CO of the cadet corps or squadron shall review and approve all membership applications; however, he/she shall consult with the Regional Cadet Support Unit (RCSU) when there is uncertainty as to whether an application meets the basic membership standards or an application requires special consideration such as: application from a youth who is not yet a legal resident of Canada and application from a youth who has a medical, physical or mental condition specified in Part 2 of the CF 1158 application form that cannot be accommodated as outlined in the What about medical, physical and mental conditions section below.

 

 

 

What about medical, Physical and Mental conditions?

 

In that a minimum standard of medical fitness has not been established for membership of a cadet in a corps or squadron, a person with a medical condition or who is mentally or physically challenged may become a member at the Commanding Officer’s discretion.

The Commanding Officer of the Cadet Corps or Squadron shall ensure that:

• the parent or guardian describes the medical, physical or mental condition at part 2 of form CF 1158;

• the corps or squadron has the physical facilities and the staff required to provide cadet training in light of the medical condition or the mental or medical challenge;

• the ability of the corps or squadron to provide effective and safe training to other members will not be reduced; and

• the parent or guardian and the prospective cadet are aware that minimum medical fitness standards do exist for attendance at Cadet Summer Training Centres (CSTC) and for the Exchange Programmes. The parents or guardians shall be informed that cadets with a medical condition may not be permitted to attend summer training. This fact must be clearly understood by all parties prior to accepting a person with a medical condition, or who is mentally or physically challenged as a member of a cadet corps or squadron.

 

 

Who does the instruction and supervision ?

Most of the instruction is performed by senior cadets under the supervision of adult officers and civilian instructors or by the officers and instructors themselves. During the training year (Sept-June) the cadets are always supervised by at least one of the staff members listed under "meet the staff" and at least two during overnight activities, gender specific of course; these are minimums and cadets are generally supervised by two or more staff at all times. 

 

What other activities do cadets do?

The Squadron offers the chance to learn precision drill, enjoy target shooting, play sports, learn about aviation, go camping and learn survival skills (Field Training Exercises (FTX's)), experience flying opportunities and much more!

 

What do cadets do during the summer?

Cadets have the opportunity to apply to go to a variety of summer camps at military bases and schools in Canada. Summer training courses are 2, 3 and 6 week courses during July and August. Find out about the courses here.

 

Do Air Cadets get paid ?

While Air Cadets are not paid during the year,  cadets have an opportunity to earn training bonuses for summer courses. In addition, some cadets have an opportunity to work at summer training centres.

 

Do I have to join the Armed Forces after cadets ?

No. There is no requirement or commitment to join the Canadian Forces, however many former cadets have gained pay and promotion benefits as a result of cadet service.