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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 15,200 15,500
Prince Edward Island 200 3,700 3,900
Nova Scotia 1,700 38,800 40,500
New Brunswick 1,100 28,400 29,500
Quebec 2,400 116,200 118,600
Ontario 13,900 214,100 228,000
Manitoba 1,300 18,900 20,200
Saskatchewan 1,000 14,600 15,600
Alberta 2,700 64,700 67,400
British Columbia 7,000 80,700 87,700
Territories 0 0 0
Foreign Countries 400 1,900 2,300
Total: Estimated Canadian Veteran PopulationFootnote 2 32,100 597,200 629,300

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.2 Estimated Veteran Population by Average AgeFootnote 3

Estimated War Service Veteran Population
Type of Service Average Age March 2020
Second World War Veterans 95 26,300
Korean War Veterans 88 5,900
Total: Estimated War Service Veteran PopulationFootnote 4 94 32,100
Canadian Armed Forces - Regular Forces 61 317,600
Canadian Armed Forces - Primary Reserves 56 279,600
Total: Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran PopulationFootnote 4 59 597,200
Total Estimated Canadian Veteran Population n/a 629,300

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, 2020 Average Age
(March 31, 2020)		 YTD
Dec 2020
2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019-20
War Service Veterans 29,740 25,016 20,273 15,644 12,375 94 9,590
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 88,301 93,123 97,231 101,049 106,744 60 109,412
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 11,743 12,482 13,169 13,136 14,081 60 14,690
Subtotal: Veterans 129,784 130,621 130,673 129,829 133,200 63 133,692
War Service Survivors 55,371 51,471 47,375 43,184 37,828 89 35,049
CAF Survivors 9,257 9,560 9,847 11,928 14,848 68 14,907
RCMP Survivors 877 945 1,032 1,139 1,225 74 1,291
Subtotal: Survivors 65,505 61,976 58,254 56,251 53,901 83 51,247
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 6 195,289 192,597 188,927 186,080 187,101 69 184,939
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type ForecastFootnote 5
2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
War Service Veterans 10,100 8,200 6,300 4,800 3,500
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 116,000 131,500 135,900 140,000 143,900
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 15,700 18,400 19,400 20,300 21,300
Subtotal: Veterans 141,800 158,200 161,600 165,100 168,700
War Service Survivors 33,900 30,100 26,500 23,100 20,100
CAF Survivors 16,100 17,500 19,100 20,800 12,500
RCMP Survivors 1,300 1,500 1,600 1,800 2,000
Subtotal: Survivors 51,300 49,100 47,300 45,800 44,600
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 6 193,100 207,300 208,900 210,900 213,300

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.4 Total Number of Veterans by Sex, Service Type, and Age - December 2020

All Veterans by Sex War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 8,153 97,537 12,318 118,008 88%
Female 1,437 11,875 2,372 15,684 12%
Total 9,590 109,412 14,690 133,692 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 1,990 43 2,033 2%
30 to 39 0 10,355 909 11,264 8%
40 to 49 0 12,976 1,805 14,781 11%
50 to 59 0 23,307 2,454 25,761 19%
60 to 69 0 16,719 3,565 20,284 15%
70 to 79 0 17,600 2,596 20,196 15%
80 to 89 1,191 13,542 874 15,607 12%
90 and over 6,962 1,048 72 8,082 6%
Total 8,153 97,537 12,318 118,008 88%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 379 24 403 0%
30 to 39 0 1,719 334 2,053 2%
40 to 49 0 2,790 779 3,569 3%
50 to 59 0 4,018 794 4,812 4%
60 to 69 0 1,891 378 2,269 2%
70 to 79 0 488 57 545 0%
80 to 89 22 528 6 556 0%
90 and over 1,415 62 0 1,477 1%
Total 1,437 11,875 2,372 15,684 12%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of December 2020

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 442 13,065 1,100 14,607 1,877
Sydney 66 1,313 117 1,496 155
Subtotal: Nova ScotiaFootnote 8 508 14,378 1,217 16,103 2,032
Campbellton 65 904 99 1,068 90
Charlottetown 76 1,190 201 1,467 172
Cornerbrook 23 608 100 731 170
Oromocto 86 4,300 250 4,636 857
Saint John 223 4,141 465 4,829 398
St John's 68 1,818 375 2,261 360
Subtotal: NF and LAB, NB, PEI 541 12,961 1,490 14,992 2,047
Montreal 421 3,398 342 4,161 510
Quebec 147 8,804 121 9,072 1,178
St-Jean 82 2,148 124 2,354 316
Subtotal: Quebec 650 14,350 587 15,587 2,604
Gatineau 48 2,243 231 2,522 308
Ottawa 487 8,034 1,075 9,596 1,021
Pembroke 97 3,700 128 3,925 569
Subtotal: National Capital Area 632 13,977 1,434 16,043 1,898
Kingston 181 4,317 137 4,635 525
Peterborough 250 943 35 1,228 126
Thunder Bay 128 632 16 776 116
Toronto 1,020 2,043 109 3,172 337
Trenton 121 3,088 28 3,237 297
Subtotal: Central Ontario 1,700 11,023 325 13,048 1,401
Hamilton 389 1,787 90 2,266 219
London 254 1,364 92 1,710 256
North Bay 178 1,715 27 1,920 263
Mississauga 798 4,272 266 5,336 398
Windsor 249 1,470 69 1,788 127
Subtotal: South Western Ontario 1,868 10,608 544 13,020 1,263
Brandon 103 1,064 211 1,378 135
Calgary 437 4,090 1,178 5,705 425
Edmonton 337 7,634 1,337 9,308 1,147
Regina 130 757 511 1,398 110
Saskatoon 179 746 355 1,280 120
Winnipeg 296 2,426 461 3,183 325
Subtotal: Prairies 1,482 16,717 4,053 22,252 2,262
Kelowna 178 1,219 724 2,121 111
Penticton 280 1,686 915 2,881 156
Prince George 44 471 305 820 80
Surrey 487 1,963 1,380 3,830 194
Vancouver 398 1,350 598 2,346 235
Victoria 688 7,522 1,052 9,262 827
Subtotal: British Columbia and the North 2,075 14,211 4,974 21,260 1,603
Subtotal: Foreign Country Operations 134 1,177 59 1,370 97
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 0 10 7 17 1
Total 9,590 109,412 14,690 133,692 15,208

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

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