Active 1866 - Role Combat Engineers | Country Canada Size Two Engineer Squadrons | |
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Branch Canadian Military Engineers Part of 31 Canadian Brigade Group | ||
31 Combat Engineer Regiment (31 CER or "The Elgins"), is currently a combat engineer regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, supporting 31 Canadian Brigade Group of the 4th Canadian Division (formerly Land Force Central Area). It consists of two squadrons: 48 Engineer Squadron in Waterloo, Ontario, and 7 Engineer Squadron in St. Thomas, Ontario. The Elgins existed before the Confederation of Canada, tracing their origin to 1866 when the Militia Act officially created the 25th, Elgin, Battalion of Infantry from five local militia companies.
Afghanistan
Since the beginning of Canadian combat operations in Afghanistan in 2002, 31 CER has sent members to augment Regular Force units for deployments while also acting as a "feeder" unit, training Reserve Force members who then take full-time contracts with Regular Force CER's.