Joint Task Force East
Joint Task Force East (JTFE) is one of six regional joint task forces of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The task forces are situated in key locations across Canada to conduct CAF continental operations.
JTFE Headquarters
JTFE has its headquarters in the CAF Montreal Garrison, Quebec. The JTFE Commander also commands 2nd Canadian Division (2 Cdn Div), a formation of the Canadian Army.
JTFE area of responsibility (AOR)
JTFE is responsible for leading CAF continental operations in the Province of Quebec. This includes its territorial waterways. Quebec is home to more than eight million people. It is Canada's largest province in terms of landmass. It is the second largest in terms of population.
Command and tasking authority
The JTFE Commander directs the CAF response anywhere in the AOR if help is requested. This applies to:
- any request for CAF intervention for disaster relief; and
- any request for CAF support in critical incidents;
A request for CAF help may come through/from:
- Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC);
- CJOC’s partners in operations; and
- The government of Quebec.
The JTFE Commander has the authority to form mission-appropriate task forces. This includes tasking any and all CAF resources held in the Province of Quebec by the:
- Royal Canadian Navy;
- Canadian Army; and
- Royal Canadian Air Force.
JTFE operations
The CAF maintains a continuous watch of the AOR through JTFE. It does so to maintain full awareness of security and defence conditions in:
- the province of Quebec; and
- its territorial waterways.
JTFE’s most recent disaster-response CAF operation was Operation LENTUS 17-03 in May and June 2017. After severe flooding, the CAF helped Quebec with flood relief in five regions, Montérégie, Outaouais, Mauricie, Montréal, and Trois-Rivières.