The Canadian Military Engineers Association (CMEA) is a vibrant and growing association that was activated in November 2000. Formed directly from its predecessor, the Military Engineers Association of Canada (MEAC), it can trace its origins to Order in Council 212 of the Department of Militia and Defence in 1912. The CMEA was incorporated as a Not For Profit Corporation in 2010.

Our Objectives

We strive to further the effectiveness of Canada's military engineering capability and the well-being of the Canadian Military Engineers (CME) Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces. This mission is achieved through our objectives which are:

• To enhance the effectiveness of Canada's military engineering capability, to promote continued excellence in the development of military engineering, and to foster an interest in all aspects of military engineering.
• To encourage effective communication and close association amongst all serving and former members of the Canadian Military Engineers (herein referred to as the "CME"), its predecessors, and its associated civilians and organisations.
• To enhance the position of the CME as both an operational and an operational support component of the Canadian Armed Forces, and accordingly, to enhance opportunities for members of the CME within both the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian society in general.
• To preserve the history of Canada's military engineering practitioners, to honour their customs, traditions and heritage, and to commemorate their achievements and sacrifice.
• To facilitate the well-being of all Association members , and to respond promptly and with effect to assist the welfare of members and their families as needed.
• To co-operate with other organisations that address Canada's strategic and national security interests, and to advise the Government of Canada, through the Minister of National Defence, on matters that involve military engineering.

Our Relationship with the CME

At the national level, we remain in direct contact with the CME Colonel Commandant, the CME Branch Advisor, and senior CME appointments. At the regional and local level, we co-operate closely with CME units, both regular and reserve. The CMEA is an inclusive association that remains open to mutual support and co-operation with all individuals and groups that comprise the CME Family.

Our Membership

Our national association directly or indirectly unites a diverse membership including serving and retired Regular and Reserve Force members of all ranks, associated civilians, Cadets, and various CME Family organizations.

Chapters

The Association's support to the effectiveness and well-being of the CME is evident in both local and national activities. Locally, the CMEA is organized into chapters that are based on the concentrations of CME members units across the country or on existing Engineer groups. The chapters are the primary focus of our fraternal activities. Chapters conduct regular meetings, sponsor professional development and host social activities. The CMEA improves these familial aspects by publicizing such events, encouraging participation and, when applicable, organizing social events and reunions on behalf of the CME Family. Some chapters may participate in national initiatives or may be involved in purely local activities and projects such as supporting a Cadet Corps, assisting a unit in writing its history, contributing to a Habitat for Humanity project, or working on a segment of the Trans Canada Trail.

Support

The CMEA is committed to assisting the CF's Quality of Life initiatives and will offer and provide assistance to families as requested and as appropriate to improve their circumstances. We provide all new members of the CME Branch with their uniform accoutrements at no cost to them, and provide the CME Branch with memorial pins for family members in honour of our fallen soldiers. Our successful CMEA Bursary Program provides up to $6,000 annually to successful applicants for post-secondary education. We provide funding in support of Engineer sporting events such as the Fallen Sappers Memorial Golf Tournament, the CME Pigspiel, the Atlantic, Western, and Ontario Beaver Cup Hockey Tournaments, and others. We provide financial support annually to Engineer birthday celebrations and provide Engineer flags to deployed units and at ceremonies on the Highway of Heroes in honour of our fallen. We provide financial and emotional support to members and their families in times of crisis and provide clothing to our wounded hospitalized in Germany. We provide low cost home and auto insurance to members, and provide direct financial support to the CME Branch Advisor's Office and the CME Colonel Commandant.

Communications

We seek opportunities to expand communications linkages throughout the CME Family. The CMEA national communications network is used to keep individuals informed and to strengthen the fraternal connections among the chapters and some thirty other CME fraternal and veterans groups. Along with using this website, we publish newsletters and communiques. Additionally, we provide input to CME Branch CHIMO Communiques that are carried on our web site.

Employment Assistance

For retired and retiring members, CMEA may assist in supporting their transition to a 'second career' and may assist former serving members to settle into local communities. We also provide a national service to advertise employment opportunities.

Our Heritage

We work with other agencies to ensure preservation of the military engineering contribution to all aspects of Canada's heritage and will promote community activities that commemorate this contribution. The CMEA works with the Military Engineers Museum Association of Canada to support the CME Museum and other military museums with military engineering components. We respect and encourage the preservation of the CME heritage on all occasions within the CME family and assist in the publication of the "Customs of the Canadian Military Engineers". We also promote the three published volumes of the official CME history and will produce and publish additional volumes as appropriate.

Professional Development

The CMEA supports the professional and vocational recognition and certification of our members. We support initiatives to expand opportunities for accrediting military training and experience towards engineer licensing and technologist certification. We also work closely with the Military Engineering Institute of Canada to support such activities as convening professional development seminars, workshops, and symposiums.

Excellence

The Association promotes military engineering excellence at the individual level through the sponsorship of achievement awards at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, the Canadian Forces School of Military Mapping, the Canadian Forces Fire Academy, and the Royal Military College of Canada. The CMEA also sponsors a system of competitions among CME units and an award system to recognize exceptional performance and contributions of individuals and groups.

Advocacy

At the national level, the CMEA advocates for military engineering in co-operation with the Conference of Defence Associations. In addition, we actively seek opportunities to encourage research and study of national security issues from a military engineering prospective. We will use public information means to publicize such military engineering aspects in appropriate media and forums throughout Canada.

The Canadian Military Engineers Association strives to further the effectiveness of Canada's military engineering capability and the well-being of Canadian Military Engineers. By being an active member of the CMEA, you contribute to our attaining these objectives and the prospering of the Canadian Military Engineers.