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Military life in a garrison town
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is a garrison town with a long military tradition stretching back to the construction of the original Fort Saint-Jean in 1666-1667. In those days, the repeated assaults of the Iroquois Indians throughout the Richelieu Valley were endangering the very existence of the young French colony in America. Thus, a series of military posts were built along the Richelieu, which gave the Haut-Richelieu Region its name: “Valley of the Forts”.
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is a garrison town with a long military tradition stretching back to the construction of the original Fort Saint-Jean in 1666-1667. In those days, the repeated assaults of the Iroquois Indians throughout the Richelieu Valley were endangering the very existence of the young French colony in America. Thus, a series of military posts were built along the Richelieu, which gave the Haut-Richelieu Region its name: “Valley of the Forts”.Built by the soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment, Fort Saint-Jean played an important role in the history of the country, mainly during the American Independence War, when Fort Saint-Jean inhabitants delayed the American troops marching on Québec City.
Since then, local military activity has changed along the years and the needs of succeeding governments. However, the creation of the 22nd Royal Regiment in the last century, the building of the Collège royal de Saint-Jean in 1952, and the arrival of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1941 have all confirmed the military vocation of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Today, the presence of the Saint-Jean Garrison and the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean contribute to the renown of the community and to economic, industrial, technological, and training development. A strategic planning exercise completed in 2003-2004 has allowed the City to establish that the military industry was one of the main avenues for the development of the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu region. Indeed, it is estimated that the defence industry represents some 1,500 direct jobs and over $200 M a year in economic spin-offs for the region.
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean
Built on the magnificent site of the original Fort Saint-Jean, the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean complex is located in the facilities of the old Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean.
Created after the Second World War, in 1952, the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean was then one of two college- and university-level training and education establishments in Canada (the other one being in Kingston) for officer cadets aspiring to climb their way up the hierarchy in the Canadian Forces.
The closing of the military college in 1995 finally led to the creation of the Corporation du Fort Saint-Jean which has since been acting as site manager. Today, the Department of National Defence is the main occupant of the facilities and the Corporation’s mission on now more focused on commercializing the site and its facilities.
The Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean is located on the banks of the Richelieu River, only minutes from the marina and Old Saint-Jean.
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean
15, rue Jacques-Cartier Nord
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC J3B 8R1
Tel.: 450 358-6500
cfsj@cfsj.qc.ca
www.cfsj.qc.ca
The Musée du Fort Saint-Jean
Part of the facilities of the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean complex, the Musée du Fort Saint-Jean highlights Saint-Jean’s rich military heritage through artefacts exhibitions and guided tours
Visitors to the museum can relive more than 325 years of military history (1666-1995) on the grounds of the old Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (1952-1995), with a visit of the original British buildings and the officer cadets’ dormitories to learn about the life of their occupants, both yesterday and today..
The Fort Saint-Jean Garrison
Today, the military tradition that is a hallmark of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is reflected through the presence of the Canadian Forces and their infrastructures located close to the regional airport.
At the beginning of the Second World War, the Saint-Jean military base was built to temporarily house a training school for bomber pilots. Sold to the McGill University after the war, the site of the military base was bought back by the National Defence in 1951, who turned it into a permanent facility for the Canadian Forces.
Since 1979, the imposing Général-Jean-Victor-Allard Building— a megastructure nearly half a kilometre long—marks the presence of the Saint-Jean Garrison. The building houses the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, the Canadian Forces Language School, and the Canadian Forces Management Development School. Each year, as they begin their military career, nearly 6,000 recruits from all over Canada come for a stay in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a true garrison town.
Please note that the Saint-Jean Garrison site is not open to the public.
CFB Saint-Jean Garrison
USS Saint-Jean
P.O. BOX 100, Station Main
Richelain QC JOJ 1RO
Tel.: 450 358-7099
www.forces.ca
Since then, local military activity has changed along the years and the needs of succeeding governments. However, the creation of the 22nd Royal Regiment in the last century, the building of the Collège royal de Saint-Jean in 1952, and the arrival of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1941 have all confirmed the military vocation of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Today, the presence of the Saint-Jean Garrison and the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean contribute to the renown of the community and to economic, industrial, technological, and training development. A strategic planning exercise completed in 2003-2004 has allowed the City to establish that the military industry was one of the main avenues for the development of the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu region. Indeed, it is estimated that the defence industry represents some 1,500 direct jobs and over $200 M a year in economic spin-offs for the region.
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean
Built on the magnificent site of the original Fort Saint-Jean, the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean complex is located in the facilities of the old Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean. Created after the Second World War, in 1952, the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean was then one of two college- and university-level training and education establishments in Canada (the other one being in Kingston) for officer cadets aspiring to climb their way up the hierarchy in the Canadian Forces.
The closing of the military college in 1995 finally led to the creation of the Corporation du Fort Saint-Jean which has since been acting as site manager. Today, the Department of National Defence is the main occupant of the facilities and the Corporation’s mission on now more focused on commercializing the site and its facilities.
The Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean is located on the banks of the Richelieu River, only minutes from the marina and Old Saint-Jean.
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean
15, rue Jacques-Cartier Nord
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC J3B 8R1
Tel.: 450 358-6500
cfsj@cfsj.qc.ca
www.cfsj.qc.ca
The Musée du Fort Saint-Jean
Part of the facilities of the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean complex, the Musée du Fort Saint-Jean highlights Saint-Jean’s rich military heritage through artefacts exhibitions and guided tours
Visitors to the museum can relive more than 325 years of military history (1666-1995) on the grounds of the old Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (1952-1995), with a visit of the original British buildings and the officer cadets’ dormitories to learn about the life of their occupants, both yesterday and today..Musée du Fort Saint-Jean 15, rue Jacques-Cartier Nord Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Open from June to/through September Tél. : 450 358-6500, ext 5769 www.museedufortsaintjean.ca |  |
The Fort Saint-Jean Garrison
Today, the military tradition that is a hallmark of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is reflected through the presence of the Canadian Forces and their infrastructures located close to the regional airport.At the beginning of the Second World War, the Saint-Jean military base was built to temporarily house a training school for bomber pilots. Sold to the McGill University after the war, the site of the military base was bought back by the National Defence in 1951, who turned it into a permanent facility for the Canadian Forces.
Since 1979, the imposing Général-Jean-Victor-Allard Building— a megastructure nearly half a kilometre long—marks the presence of the Saint-Jean Garrison. The building houses the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, the Canadian Forces Language School, and the Canadian Forces Management Development School. Each year, as they begin their military career, nearly 6,000 recruits from all over Canada come for a stay in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a true garrison town.
Please note that the Saint-Jean Garrison site is not open to the public.
CFB Saint-Jean Garrison
USS Saint-Jean
P.O. BOX 100, Station Main
Richelain QC JOJ 1RO
Tel.: 450 358-7099
www.forces.ca
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