Punjabi
Canadian Armed Forces exceed recruitment targets for second straight year, defence minister says
Canada’s military has surpassed its annual recruitment targets for a second consecutive year, according to Defence Minister David McGuinty, signalling renewed interest among younger Canadians in joining the armed forces.
McGuinty said more than 7,300 people enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces over the past year. According to the Department of National Defence, the recruitment goal for 2025–26 was 6,957 new members, which has now been exceeded. The previous year also saw higher-than-expected intake, with 6,706 recruits joining against a target of 6,496.
The federal government attributes t