Members of No. 2 Construction Battalion, their families, their descendants and their communities deserve recognition and acknowledgement for the sacrifices they made to serve Canada-sacrifices which were not all on a battlefield.
Today in Toronto, the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, announced a $500,000 investment to support local projects that will honour the legacy of No. 2 Construction Battalion. The funding comes as part of a second call for applications to commemorate No. 2 Construction Battalion service members and Veterans throughout our history. Up to $50,000 per project is available for Community Engagement and Community War Memorial initiatives.
As part of the announcement, Minister Petitpas Taylor joined Mayor Chow, descendants of the 15 men who enlisted in Toronto, representatives from the No. 2 Construction Battalion community, Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans, leaders of the City's Black community, consulates from countries involved in the First World War and the general public, to unveil a plaque that honours the Battalion's service to Canada.
No. 2 Construction Battalion was created on 5 July 1916 in Pictou, NS, during the First World War. It was a segregated non-combatant unit, the first and only all-Black battalion-sized formation in Canadian military history. The unit was officially disbanded on 15 September 1920, without ceremony or recognition for their service or sacrifices during the war.
Earlier this year, Veterans Affairs Canada opened the first call for applications for projects commemorating No. 2 Construction Battalion. Through the program, the Government of Canada is investing more than $361,000 to support projects currently underway across the country.
