Ceremonial Guard The Ceremonial Guard ( CG ) is an " ad hoc " military unit in the Canadian Forces that used to draw principally from two Primary Reserve ( militia ) regiments of Foot Guards : The Governor General ' s Foot Guards from Ottawa and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal . However , since 2007 the Ceremonial Guard has been manned by a more pan – Canadian Forces approach : Royal Canadian Navy , Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel . Every summer , the Ceremonial Guard performs the Changing the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill and posts sentries at Rideau Hall , the residence of the Governor General of Canada , and the National War Memorial . As any guard unit in the Canadian Forces , uniforms originate from the Queen ' s Guard . Unit composition . When the Guard comes together it comprises the Public Duties Company , the Headquarters Company and the Band of the Ceremonial Guard , which also includes a full pipes and drums . The total strength is about 420 people . The uniforms worn represent both infantry guards regiments : the Governor General ' s Foot Guards ( GGFG ) and the Canadian Grenadier Guards ( CGG ) . The colours carried on Parliament Hill are also from these regiments . The Public Duties Company is further broken down into platoons and divisions . The Public Duties Company has eight divisions . A division is about 18 – 24 soldiers . The Ceremonial Guard maintains no regimental colour nor has it any battle honour s of its own as it is not a permanent unit in the Canadian Forces ' order of battle . The only colours flown in the ceremonies are those of the two guards regiments . The Ceremonial Guard also maintains its own regimental band and pipers that form a separate company , as well as the Headquarters Company for administration and support personnel . Musicians are drawn from military units and colleges or universities across Canada , and applicants must first pass an audition to be considered . The band of the Ceremonial Guard is widely regarded as a superb musical organization , hence the national level application process . All new musicains must pass the Canadian Armed Forces Basic Military Qualifacation Course ( BMQ ) before they can be employed with the Ceremonial Guard , all members are trained soldiers . The unit exists with a full composition only from early June to the end of August . During the rest of the year a small administrative corps remains to prepare for next year ' s public duties season , and beginning in early May the unit stands up partially to allow for the conduct of Basic Military Qualification and other Military courses as required . The unit also plans and executes the Canadian Forces beating the retreat " Fortissimo " . This takes place each year in August . All members of the Ceremonial Guard are fully trained members of the Canadian Armed Forces ( CAF ) . Public duties . The primary and most visible function of the Ceremonial Guard is , as mentioned , the Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill in Ottawa , Ontario , the national capital of Canada . The Changing of the Guard Ceremony is a parade representing the changing of the guards / sentries posted at Rideau Hall , the official residence of the Canadian monarch when in Ottawa , and her representative , the Governor General , in her absence . A full company of two platoons is employed in daily public duties , with both divisions of one platoon parading as the ' new guard ' – those to take over duties at Rideau Hall – and the other platoon of the company split , one division parading as ' old guard ' , and the other performing sentry duties at Rideau Hall and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the day . Changing of the Guard . The parade begins at the Cartier Square Drill Hall with the drum major , followed by the band , and the two divisions of the ' new guard ' . Turning north onto Queen Elizabeth Drive , the parade continues underneath the Laurier Avenue bridge and then turns left onto the ramp leading onto Laurier Avenue ( Ottawa ) . While the New Guard is en route to Parliament Hill the Old Guard forms up behind the East Block with the colour . They set off at approximately 9 : 46 a . m . with the Pipes and Drums of the Ceremonial Guard leading . They march to the east lawn and move into position , then they await the New Guard arriving . The New Guard makes a right turn onto Elgin Street up to the National War Memorial and onto Wellington Street before the parade arrives on Parliament Hill precisely at 10 a . m . At this time the band begins to play " The 10 Provinces March " by Howard Cable . The parade marches onto the east lawn of Parliament , with the band centred at the northernmost edge of the lawn and facing south . The old guard is in position on the west side of the east lawn and faces the east block , while the new guard marches to the east side of the lawn and faces west towards the old guard . After the old and new guards are formed from three ranks into two and independently dressed off for proper alignment , the two sergeants of the guard – commanders of the two divisions of new guard – advance to be inspected by the company sergeant - major . Following inspection , the number two division sergeant marches to his position while the number one division sergeant stands still . The new guard is then given the order " Get on parade " , at which point they advance to the tune of " The British Grenadiers " from the band , and form up dressed off the sergeants of the guard . The new guard ' s persons and weapons are inspected by the company commander , and they are stood at ease . Following the inspection of the new guard , the old guard is inspected . After this inspection , the sergeants of the guard and division seconds - in - command are ordered to ' take post ' – the sergeant of the guard marches from the right flank to directly behind the guard , while the second - in - command marches from the left flank to the right . The parade is then called to the present arms for the marching on of the regimental colours . With the colours marched on , the new guard advances at the slow march , ceremonially ' taking up the ground ' from the old guard . The old guard and new guard salute each other at present arms . Following this , the old guard commander presents the key to the Guard Room at Rideau Hall to the new guard commander . The parade is then formed into three ranks and marched off at the slow march , transitioning into the quick march . The order of march differs only in that the old guard is now at the rear . Sentry duty . The other highly visible public duty of the Ceremonial Guard is sentry duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial and Rideau Hall . The sentries are ceremonial in nature only and do not generally perform actual guard duty ; however , all are trained military personnel and procedures and orders do exist for the Ceremonial Guard to adopt an armed night guard of Rideau Hall should sufficient security threat arise . The sentries are posted daily from 9 a . m . to 5 p . m . EDT , every hour on the hour . At 9 a . m . the posting corporal – generally a corporal from the junior leadership but sometimes a corporal from the ranks – marches out accompanied by the four sentries , two escorts , and a bagpiper . The corporal , sentries , and escorts are all dressed in full scarlet uniforms and carry rifles with bayonets fixed . The party marches to the Sussex Drive gate of Rideau Hall where the first two sentries are posted and have their duties read to them . The party then marches back to Rideau Hall itself where the two remaining sentries are posted and have their duties read . It should also be noted that the sentries may change more often due to weather issues i . e . extremelly hot ! Throughout the day Rideau Hall is visited by the officer commanding of the parade and the company sergeant - major . They will generally elect to observe a relief of the sentries , and sometimes the officer commanding will take a report from the sentries on duty . The Officer and the Guard sergeant for Rideau Hall may also elect to do rounds to check on both of the sentry posts . Grand Rounds may also be executed by the Commanding Officer of the Unit . Extra functions . In addition to the Changing of the Guard , the Ceremonial Guard takes part in many other functions , such as the annual Governor General ' s review of the Guard . This inspection takes place prior to the first Guard mount on Parliament Hill normally in late June , the Canada Day celebration on 1 July , the " Fortissimo " Sunset Ceremony that takes place in early August on Parliament Hill , and the Guard ' s final parade at the end of August . It also participates in military funerals ( for example , Jack Layton ' s procession at Parliament ) , important visits ( Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 , Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 ) . The band of the Ceremonial Guard has many engagements outside of public duties . The Ceremonial Guard ' s main mission and focus is in Ottawa .