The Vancouver-based light infantry unit of the Canadian Army is asking residents to not be alarmed if they hear automatic gunfire this weekend around the site of the former Molson-Coors brewery.

The Seaforth Highlanders regiment says it will be conducting urban operations training on both Saturday and Sunday at the old brewery site and at the unit鈥檚 nearby armoury.

Maj. Brennan MacLachlan with the Seaforth Highlanders said unit members will not be using live ammunition and will stay almost exclusively inside the brewery and armoury buildings.

He said disturbance to nearby neighbourhoods should be minimal.

鈥淭he buildings are pretty soundproof and also blank fire isn鈥檛 as loud as, say, live ammunition,鈥� MacLachlan said of the reservist鈥檚 use of C7 assault rifles during the exercise. 鈥淪o, there shouldn鈥檛 be too much (noise) coming out. But otherwise, you may hear some automatic 鈥� sort of the rat-tat-tat-tat-tat type sounds occasionally.鈥�

The former brewery is right next to Vancouver鈥檚 Burrard Bridge and along False Creek, where thousand of residents live in condominiums and townhomes.

A statement from Capt. Graeme Kaine with 39 Canadian Brigade Group, which administers reserve forces in British Columbia, said uniformed reservists might be seen carrying small arms weapons for the training.

Kaine said health protection measures will be enforced 鈥渁t all times鈥� of the exercise, and the training will follow guidelines from federal, provincial and municipal public health agencies.

Kaine also said the exercise will help the reserve unit plan, prepare and execute any future operations in what he describes as 鈥渃omplex urban environments.鈥�

MacLachlan said developer Concord Pacific, which owns the brewery site, gave the regiment permission to use the building starting last year, and it is planning to maximize use of the building for urban operations.

He said urban training would involve standard, block-shaped buildings, and a 鈥渕assive鈥� site such as the brewery featuring industrial-type areas, warehousing and office spaces create a more comprehensive training environment.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an extremely valuable opportunity, particularly as we look at the trend and conflicts of late,鈥� MacLachlan said.

鈥淪o, having more exposure to it is critical to prepare our soldiers to work in those places. And unfortunately, urban operation is one of the most 鈥� if not the most 鈥� complex environment to operate in as a soldier.鈥�

MacLachlan said the unit is expected to have access to the brewery site for about four years.

The Seaforth Highlanders conduct monthly training exercises, and MacLachlan said the unit typically covers urban operations at least once every few years, but the brewery鈥檚 availability means they鈥檒l do more such exercises.

鈥淭he role of the infantry is that we have to be able to operate any time, anywhere basically,鈥� he said.

鈥淲henever conflict arises or there鈥檚 a need for support from the Canadian Armed Forces, we don鈥檛 get the luxury of picking where and when that鈥檚 going to occur. So, urban operation is very relevant, and I think it鈥檚 safe to say there鈥檒l always be some flavour of urban operations in any operating environment that we鈥檙e going to go to.鈥�

READ ALSO: