Durham Army Convoys could be visible on major highways this week as hundreds of Canadian Army Reserve personnel travel across eastern, central and northern Ontario for an annual military training exercise.
The Canadian Army says transport and supply convoys will operate on Thursday, Aug. 20 and Friday, Aug. 21, with similar return movements expected on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30.
Among the highways listed for the planned military traffic are Highway 115 and Highway 401, two major routes used by motorists in Durham Region.
That means drivers in and around Clarington, particularly those travelling near the Highway 35/115 and Highway 401 corridor, could encounter military vehicles as the convoys move between training locations.
More Than 500 Soldiers Taking Part
The movements are part of annual training involving the 33 Canadian Brigade Group.
More than 500 Canadian Army Reserve personnel are expected to participate.
Soldiers and equipment will travel using Department of National Defence vehicles as well as chartered buses.
The routes connect several communities across Ontario, including Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Peterborough, Kingston, Ottawa and Petawawa.
Military vehicles may be seen on Highways 7, 17, 26, 41, 55, 115, 401, 403 and 417.
Why Are Military Vehicles on Ontario Highways?
The convoys are supporting a regularly scheduled training event rather than responding to an emergency.
From Aug. 21 through Aug. 29, Canadian Army Reserve personnel will participate in Exercise Wolfpack Guardian at Garrison Petawawa.
The exercise is described as a major end-of-summer training event involving simulated combat operations.
Its purpose is to maintain military preparedness and readiness.
Personnel taking part will include infantry, artillery and signals units from communities across northern, central and eastern Ontario.
Highway 115 and Highway 401 Relevant to Durham Drivers
For Durham Region, the most important part of the announcement is the use of Highway 115 and Highway 401.
Highway 115 connects with Highway 35 and Highway 401 in Clarington and is heavily used by motorists travelling between Durham Region and Peterborough.
Highway 401 runs directly across southern Durham through Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington.
The military release does not provide exact convoy times for individual Durham highway segments, so motorists should not expect a specific closure schedule.
Instead, drivers may simply notice groups of military vehicles travelling together along designated routes.
Convoys Will Make Planned Stops
The Durham Army Convoys and other military vehicles participating in the exercise will make planned short stops during their journeys.
Those stops will be used for:
- rest periods
- refuelling
- scheduled maintenance
The Canadian Army says soldiers will not carry weapons or ammunition during public stops along the travel routes.
The movements are routine and connected to the annual training program.
Drivers Asked to Give Military Vehicles Space
The military says crews will try to minimize disruption for other motorists.
Drivers who encounter a convoy are asked to remain patient and provide military vehicles with additional time and space.
Large military vehicles can accelerate, brake and manoeuvre differently from regular passenger vehicles, particularly when travelling as part of an organized convoy.
Motorists should avoid cutting between convoy vehicles where doing so would be unsafe and should maintain a reasonable following distance.
Drivers should also approach stopped military vehicles cautiously.
Return Convoys Expected Aug. 29 and 30
The initial military movements are scheduled for Aug. 20 and 21 as troops travel toward the training exercise.
Similar traffic will return along the routes on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 after Exercise Wolfpack Guardian concludes.
That means Durham motorists could potentially encounter military traffic during both travel periods.
The exercise itself runs from Aug. 21 to Aug. 29 at Garrison Petawawa.
No Highway Closures Announced
The supplied information does not indicate that Highway 401 or Highway 115 will be closed because of the military movement.
The convoys are expected to share public roads with normal traffic.
Drivers should therefore treat the Durham Army Convoys as an unusual but scheduled highway movement rather than a road closure or emergency operation.
Anyone travelling on Highway 115 or Highway 401 during the listed dates should simply be prepared for increased military vehicle activity and allow extra room when approaching or passing a convoy.
