Air Cadet League of Canada, British Columbia Provincial Committee

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Who We Are

While Air Cadets in Canada were actually started in British Columbia circa 1938 (by our own 111 Pegasus Squadron), the Air Cadet League of Canada was not chartered until April, 1941. The Air Cadet League of Canada along with the 12 Provincial and Territorial Committees have been providing direction, guidance and support to the Air Cadet movement in Canada for over 60 years.

The Air Cadet Program is open to the youth of Canada who are between the ages of 12 and 18. Administered jointly by the Department of National Defence and the Air Cadet League of Canada, the program offers a wide variety of training and exciting challenges and rewards to those young people who have chosen to take part in this program. Uniforms are provided by DND. While the program is military based, there is no obligation for a cadet to join the Canadian Armed Forces when he or she finishes their cadet career. However, those cadets who choose to pursue a career in the Canadian Military certainly have an advantage and insight as to what to expect in their chosen career.

The Air Cadet League of Canada today is comprised of three levels throughout the country; the National Organization, the Provincial Committees, and the Squadron Sponsoring Committees. The Air Cadet League is a very large organization, which assists the Department of National Defence in administering Air Cadet training on all three levels throughout the country. The Air Cadet League provides a voice in Canada for the Air Cadet movement as a whole, so that the Canadian public is kept aware of the accomplishments and capabilities of the movement and of its ability to fulfill its aims.

The British Columbia Provincial Committee comprises approximately 50 unpaid volunteers, and 1 full time chief administrative officer, who administers 55 sponsoring committees from the provincial office located at the Boundary Bay airport, #56-4400 72nd Street Delta B.C.

The main areas of responsibility for the British Columbia Provincial Committee include:

· Formation of new squadrons
· Assisting with the recruitment of officers and cadets into the program
· Maintaining our fleet of 6 tow planes and twelve gliders which has been valued in excess of $700,000
· The administration guidance and support of Sponsoring Committees in the province of BC

One of the requirements in forming a Squadron is that the proposed unit has a Sponsoring Committee.  The main areas of responsibility for the Sponsoring Committee are:

· Finding and maintaining suitable quarters to house the Squadron
· Financing and raising funds to pay all those costs of squadron operations, which are not covered by the Department of National Defence.
· Recruiting of officers and cadets
· Organizing social events

On a national basis, individual Sponsoring Committees generate in excess of $6.5 million annually in supporting their units, while provincial committees raise in excess of $1 million. Quite apart from the financial considerations, however, are the efforts of the thousands of Air Cadet League personnel across the country in assisting Squadrons and Sponsoring Committees in meeting their objectives.

For further information on the Air Cadet Program refer to the Provincial and National Manuals which are found under the "Manuals" button on this website.