Toronto Police Join Canadian, US Military Forces for ‘Public Safety Exercise’

Toronto residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the city this week as officers take part in a “public safety exercise” with the U.S. and Canadian militaries. 

Toronto police will participate in “Exercise Vital Archer” for the first time, along with the Canadian Armed Forces, the U.S. military, the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police, and “other government partners from both countries” from April 13-15, the city’s police force said in a public advisory.

This week marks the first time a Canadian municipal police force has participated in the “bilateral interagency training exercise,” the Toronto Police Service said.

The initiative is designed to bolster responses to high-risk incidents like terrorism but is not connected to any “real-world threat,” Toronto police said.

“While disruptions are expected to be minimal, some residents may notice an increased presence of police and military personnel, along with vehicles, aircraft, and some noise associated with the training,” the press release said, noting that the American military is taking part in the safety exercise remotely from within the United States.

“Every effort will be made to minimize impact on residents,” they added. 

A similar exercise known as Vital Archer 23 took place three years ago across various locations in the United States and Canada.

Led by U.S. Northern Command alongside the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Vital Archer 23 included roughly 1,400 participants from 23 government agencies across the United States and Canada, integrating special operations forces from both nations, according to a June 2023 press release.

The exercise allowed the two countries to practice bilateral coordination, collaboration, and operations in reaction to a critical national security situation, the press release said. 

One of the operations involved members of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command repelling from a helicopter to a boat near Vancouver Island.

Commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Maj.-Gen. Steve Boivin said the exercises are beneficial for both countries.

“Vital Archer 23 provided a tremendous opportunity to work with our interagency and American counterparts, practicing our collective ability to keep North America safe,” Boivin said in the press release. “The interoperability and skills we develop through these partnerships ensures we can defend our nations from multi-domain threats.”