Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search veterans.gc.ca

1.0 Demographics

The estimated Veteran population tables below include all Veterans who are VAC clients, as well as those who are not.

War Service Veteran population estimates are based on the 1971 Statistics Canada Census and the 1988 Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey and are updated annually using survival rates from Statistics Canada life tables.

CAF Veteran population estimates are based on the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) conducted by Statistics Canada. The information is updated annually with release information from the Department of National Defence and survival rates from Statistics Canada life tables.

Table 1.1 Estimated Veteran Population by ProvinceFootnote1

Province War Service Veterans
(Second World War,
Korean War)		 Canadian Armed Forces Veterans
(Regular and Primary Reserve)		 Total Estimated Veterans
Newfoundland and Labrador 300 15,100 15,400
Prince Edward Island 200 3,700 3,900
Nova Scotia 1,300 38,500 39,800
New Brunswick 1,000 28,100 29,100
Quebec 2,000 115,200 117,200
Ontario 11,000 212,400 223,400
Manitoba 1,100 18,700 19,800
Saskatchewan 800 14,500 15,300
Alberta 2,000 64,200 66,200
British Columbia 5,500 80,000 85,500
Territories - 1,900 1,900
Foreign Countries 300 - 300
Total: Estimated Canadian Veteran PopulationFootnote 2 25,500 592,300 617,800

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.2 Estimated Veteran Population by Average AgeFootnote 3

Type of Service Average Age March 2021
Second World War Veterans 96 20,300
Korean War Veterans 89 5,200
Total: Estimated War Service Veteran PopulationFootnote 4 94 25,500
Canadian Armed Forces - Regular Forces 62 315,000
Canadian Armed Forces - Primary Reserves 57 277,300
Total: Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran PopulationFootnote 4 59 592,300
Total Estimated Canadian Veteran Population n/a 617,800

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Veterans Affairs Canada

Since November 2010, the Department has been serving more modern-day Canadian Armed Forces Veterans than traditional War Service Veterans.

Table 1.3 Veterans and Survivors Served by VAC (Unique)

VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Type Actuals as of March 31, 2021 Average Age
(March 31, 2021)		 YTD
Dec 2021
2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
War Service Veterans 25,016 20,273 15,644 12,375 8,026 95 6,381
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 93,123 97,231 101,049 106,744 112,252 59 116,991
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 12,482 13,169 13,136 14,081 16,640 59 18,661
Subtotal: Veterans 130,621 130,673 129,829 133,200 136,918 61 142,033
War Service Survivors 51,471 47,375 43,184 37,828 34,398 88 31,563
CAF Survivors 9,560 9,847 11,928 14,848 15,729 68 16,396
RCMP Survivors 945 1,032 1,139 1,225 1,317 73 1,393
Subtotal: Survivors 61,976 58,254 56,251 53,901 51,444 82 49,352
Total: VAC Veterans and Survivors 192,597 188,927 186,080 187,101 188,362 67 191,385
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type ForecastFootnote 5
2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
War Service Veterans 6,400 5,100 3,800 2,900 2,100
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 123,600 131,200 135,400 139,400 143,200
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 19,600 21,700 22,500 23,200 24,000
Subtotal: Veterans 149,600 158,000 161,700 165,500 169,300
War Service Survivors 31,100 27,800 24,800 21,900 19,200
CAF Survivors 16,900 18,300 19,700 21,100 22,600
RCMP Survivors 1,400 1,600 1,700 1,900 2,000
Subtotal: Survivors 49,400 47,700 46,200 44,900 43,800
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 6 199,000 205,700 207,900 210,400 213,100

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.4 Total Number of Veterans by Sex, Service Type, and Age - December 2021

All Veterans by Sex War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 5,232 102,978 15,527 123,737 87%
Female 1,109 13,551 3,127 17,787 13%
Unknown 40 462 7 509 0%
Total 6,381 116,991 18,661 142,033 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 1,843 96 1,939 1%
30 to 39 0 11,247 1,348 12,595 9%
40 to 49 0 13,251 2,628 15,879 11%
50 to 59 0 23,023 3,028 26,051 18%
60 to 69 0 19,362 3,853 23,215 16%
70 to 79 0 16,718 3,298 20,016 14%
80 to 89 364 14,949 1,148 16,461 12%
90 and over 4,868 2,585 128 7,581 5%
Total 5,232 102,978 15,527 123,737 87%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 434 32 466 0%
30 to 39 0 1,959 424 2,383 2%
40 to 49 0 3,000 1,035 4,035 3%
50 to 59 0 4,330 1,030 5,360 4%
60 to 69 0 2,630 506 3,136 2%
70 to 79 0 515 93 608 0%
80 to 89 13 564 7 584 0%
90 and over 1,096 119 0 1,215 1%
Total 1,109 13,551 3,127 17,787 13%
Total Unknown Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Unknown
29 and under 0 3 0 3 0%
30 to 39 0 3 0 3 0%
40 to 49 0 11 0 11 0%
50 to 59 0 70 1 71 0%
60 to 69 0 106 1 107 0%
70 to 79 0 127 2 129 0%
80 to 89 3 121 3 127 0%
90 and over 37 21 0 58 0%
Total 40 462 7 509 0%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of December 2021

The table below provides a breakdown of Veterans by VAC Area Office and lists Veterans who have active case plans with a departmental Case Manager.

Area Office War Service CAF RCMP Total Veterans with
Active Case PlansFootnote 7
Halifax 240 14,127 1,477 15,844 1,819
Sydney 47 1,513 156 1,716 195
Subtotal: Nova Scotia AreaFootnote 8 287 15,640 1,633 17,560 2,014
Campbellton 47 952 135 1,134 83
Charlottetown 49 1,269 267 1,585 191
Cornerbrook 17 653 130 800 152
Oromocto 52 4,633 314 4,999 916
Saint John 127 4,481 603 5,211 373
St John's 56 1,958 473 2,487 322
Subtotal: NF and LAB, NB, PEI 348 13,946 1,922 16,216 2,037
Montreal 308 3,604 420 4,332 510
St-Jean 49 2,340 159 2,548 306
Subtotal: Western Quebec Area 357 5,944 549 6,880 816
Quebec 84 9,821 146 10,051 1,692
Subtotal: Quebec Area 84 9,821 146 10,051 1,692
Gatineau 32 2,414 303 2,749 270
Ottawa 305 8,587 1,339 10,231 1,038
Pembroke 50 4,035 153 4,238 522
Subtotal: National Capital Area 387 15,036 1,795 17,218 1,830
Kingston 112 4,621 176 4,909 527
Peterborough 164 1,010 42 1,216 154
Thunder Bay 90 702 20 812 121
Toronto 761 2,072 132 2,965 232
Trenton 75 3,287 34 3,396 321
Subtotal: Central Ontario Area 1,202 11,692 404 13,298 1,355
Hamilton 284 1,846 112 2,242 183
London 166 1,434 116 1,716 229
North Bay 124 1,838 37 1,999 233
Mississauga 562 4,428 311 5,301 340
Windsor 175 1,581 83 1,839 147
Subtotal: South Western Ontario Area 1,311 11,127 659 13,097 1,132
Brandon 61 1,153 269 1,483 163
Calgary 272 4,354 1,539 6,165 454
Edmonton 215 8,333 1,768 10,316 1,083
Regina 86 789 643 1,518 81
Saskatoon 109 777 447 1,333 99
Winnipeg 198 2,500 588 3,286 316
Subtotal: Prairie Area 941 17,906 5,254 24,101 2,196
Kelowna 106 1,234 892 2,232 159
Penticton 199 1,740 1,094 3,033 199
Prince George 32 471 435 938 70
Surrey 336 1,913 1,707 3,956 194
Vancouver 266 1,451 770 2,487 246
Victoria 426 7,806 1,284 9,516 631
Subtotal: British Columbia and the North 1,365 14,615 6,182 22,162 1,499
Subtotal: Foreign Country Operations 99 1,246 70 1,415 111
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 0 18 17 35 3
Total 6,381 116,991 18,661 142,033 14,685

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Date modified: