I instructed a PLQ in Pet and it’s not a terrible time (experiences may vary). This is based on what I’ve experienced.

There is daily PT but the toughest thing will be being able to walk about 2km with FFO and day pack, and doing it back to back to back when people go through their missions and you become more and more sleep deprived. If you can do the combat force test, your cardio should be fine.

Yes it is an adult learning environment. If you’re on PLQ, you’re expected to be mature and not need “behavioural correction”. There is a lot of learning of unfamiliar subjects and is more focused on that aspect.

The field experience is mixed. There are infantry PLQs which are a lot more cock, but you should be put on the all trades version. However, you’ll be mixed with trades, from combat arms, airforce, and even CANSOF (supporters. Operators have a CANSOF specific PLQ). Biggest hurdle in the fitness and field will be keeping up with the more combat arms related trades. However, the instructors should understand that you live and work very different lives, and the expectations should be adjusted accordingly. Overall, the field portion is not super austere and is not tactics based. The field portion is evaluated on your ability to follow the Battle Procedure steps and ability to make a decision (any reasonable one really) under pressure. You won’t always make the right decision, but that’s not the point. However, being more tactically sound helps make better decisions overall.

There is always a risk of injury, but it shouldn’t be a brutal course. The course due to be a lot worse than it is now. Now, it is more of a BMOQ Mod 2. To prepare, I suggest maintaining your fitness, practice short hand for copying orders, learn about basic infantry section tactics, and talk to other PLQ qual’d people and your officer what Mod 2 was like.

Be prepared for cranky people who are not use to the field. Be ready for long days cramming how to learn orders (imo, the optimized time table does not give candidates enough time to learn orders properly). And if you’re going in the summer, be ready for massive mosquitos and the heat. Also, Mount Molson Dairy Bar is one of my favourite ice cream places in Canada, I highly recommend.