Small Quebec towns play host to 400 Canadian soldiers training for Latvia NATO operation

This past week, Tarun Channa has had a peculiar view from her porch in Saint-Thuribe, Que.

Instead of the odd car driving down the main street of the town, located 90 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, Channa has been seeing military convoys.

"We hear rumbling coming up and down our streets," said Channa, clutching her dog, Tuffy, in her arms.

"[My dogs] come up to the windows and they watch all the vehicles go by. They bark at them, like, 'what's going on?'"

Tarun Channa pictured with her dog Tuffy. She says it's been exciting to see such activity in a small town. (Rachel Watts/CBC)

Since Monday, Saint-Thuribe, population 300, has been one of seven towns in the Portneuf area acting as a training ground for 400 soldiers with the Canadian Armed Forces who are preparing to deploy to Latvia this summer as part of Operation Reassurance. They will contribute to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.

In 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO allies agreed to establish a robust presence to deter and defend Eastern Europe.

Yoan Pothier was among some military personnel training in Saint-Thuribe this week, preparing for deployment. (Rachel Watts/CBC)

Lt.-Col. Nicolas Lussier-Nivischiuk, who is in charge of the training operation, says the team has been preparing for more than a year for the deployment. He says small towns like Saint-Thuribe are ideal for training.

"The MRC Portneuf offers a lot of space for us to conduct our operation," said Lussier-Nivischiuk.

"It allows us to deploy communication system, do long-distance tests of our communications system … It's better training for us to go from a known to [an] unknown in order to improve our skills."

Those in charge of training say the small towns in Quebec allow for the deployment of long-distance tests of the communication system. (Rachel Watts/CBC)

He says about 60 armoured vehicles have been able to practise manoeuvres and missions that might be useful come deployment — including vehicle checkpoints, protection of key infrastructure and VIP security.

Town mayor Jacques Delisle said he met with the military months back, after receiving an inquiry by email.

"It was really a surprise, I thought it was a great idea," said Delisle.

"We spoke with a few residents who said that this will bring a little something different, a little bit of life to the town."

Soldiers have been driving light-armoured vehicles around the town as part of training exercises. (Rachel Watts/CBC)

He says there are about 25 vehicles in the area and as they deploy security strategies, he says it's made him start to reflect on emergency preparedness in town.

Lt. Lucas Kelly-Laforge met with Delisle Monday to get information about the community — including its population and infrastructure — to prepare a mock defence plan.

"[It] is a different environment than we have normally in the sectors of Valcartier. So it's just a different way to develop ourselves and do it in the urban context," said Kelly-Laforge.

He says it's important for his team to forge a relationship with residents — especially considering the town's size.

"We are super happy to talk to them," said Kelly-Laforge, who acknowledges having troops in town is uncharted territory for residents.

"So we try to explain to them as much as we can and introduce ourselves so that they feel safe talking to us and getting to know what we do."

Geneviève Plourde lives a few houses down from where the military set up its training hub outside the local church. She says it's been nice to see new people in town. (Rachel Watts/CBC)

Channa says residents have been curious, and like her, sometimes ventured out to take photos of the light-armoured vehicles idling and driving around in the local church parking lot.

"It's been a very exciting time for us," said Channa with a chuckle. "To see such activity, it was just amazing."

"There's military everywhere. It's very, very unusual for a tiny town like this."

Her neighbour, Geneviève Plourde, says it's been fun to witness some of the manoeuvres.

"I was surprised when I saw them arrive here. It brings a little life," said Plourde.

Those deployed to Latvia will contribute to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. (Rachel Watts/CBC)