National Defence / Canadian Forces

The Department of National Defence/Canadian Forces provides funding for the Cadet Program, including cadet uniforms, instructors, training and travel costs.

The Cadet Program has a long tradition (120 years) of encouraging Canadian youth to become active and engaged citizens.

The structure of National Defence/Canadian Forces support:

• Vice Chief of the Defence Staff has the ultimate responsibility for the Cadet Program. Located at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), in Ottawa
• Directorate of Cadets exercises control over policy and budget. Located at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), in Ottawa. The Directorate Cadets is a part of Chief Reserves and Cadets.
• Regional Cadet Support Units — the Commanding Officers of the six Regional Cadet Support Units answer to the Regional Commanders regarding the implementation of the Cadet Program. Locations:
• RCSU (Northern): Responsible for the three territories
• RCSU (Pacific): Responsible for British Columbia
• RCSU (Prairie): Responsible for the three Prairie provinces and Northwestern Ontario
• RCSU (Central): Responsible for Ontario less those areas for which Prairie and Eastern are responsible
• RCSU (Eastern): Responsible for Québec and the Ottawa Valley's Air Cadet Squadrons
• RCSU (Atlantic): Responsible for the three Maritime provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Detachments - There are 12 detachments that fall under the Regional Cadet Support Units and support the implementation of the Cadet Program across a wide geographic area.
• Cadet Corps and Squadrons - Each of the 1100 cadet corps and squadrons is overseen by a Commanding Officer (and his/her staff) who is responsible for the baseline training, supervision and administration of the cadets.

Certain cadet corps and squadrons have Affiliated Units which may be Regular or Reserve Force units. The affiliated units name a liason officer for the cadet corps or squadron and also provides, where possible, support towards the achievement of the cadet corps or squadron's goals.