Background
Canada Command was created to address the realities of the new international security environment facing Canada and to place greater emphasis on the defence of Canada and North America. It is also the cornerstone of the command and control dimension of Canadian Forces Transformation.
Canada COM is based on the Canadian Forces’ number one security priority – the safety of the Canadian people.
Reporting directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Commander of Canada COM is responsible for the conduct of all domestic operations – routine and contingency - and will be the national operational authority for the defence of Canada and North America.
Canada COM commands six regional commands: North, Pacific, West, Central, East, and Atlantic. The Regional commands are under the operational command of the Commander of Canada COM and are responsible for the conduct of all routine and contingency operations in their respective area of responsibility in Canada.
Canada COM is the cornerstone of Canadian Forces Transformation. As an integrated national operational command headquarters, Canada COM allows the Canadian Forces to bring the best available military resources from across Canada to bear on a crisis or threat, wherever it occurs, nation-wide. The creation of Canada COM means that for the first time, a unified and integrated chain of command at the national and regional levels will have the immediate authority to deploy maritime, land and air assets in their regional areas of responsibility in support of domestic operations.
The creation of Canada COM is based on the new international security environment and a commitment to place greater emphasis on the defence of Canada and North America.
Canada COM is based on a more command-centric approach to command and control. As such, the Commander of Canada COM is delegated the authorities necessary to perform the responsibilities assigned and will directly command all Canadian Forces assets and personnel in operations.
