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 the increase to higher defence spending and recent improvements to military pay and benefits. According to a departmental update, the Regular Force reached a strength of 66,726 members as of Feb. 28.

The government has set a further recruitment target of 8,200 additional members by March 31, 2027, as part of broader efforts to rebuild capacity within the military.

The increase in personnel comes as Canada raises defence spending to approximately two per cent of its gross domestic product, a level not seen since the end of the Cold War more than three decades ago.