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Veterans Affairs Canada / Anciens Combattants Canada

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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

The total estimated Canadian Veteran population (War Service Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces Veterans) is 629,300 as of March 2020.

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 Service Type
Actuals as of March 31, 2020
Type of Service 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019-20 Average Age
(March 31, 2020)
War Service Veterans 29,740 25,016 20,273 15,644 12,375 94
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 88,301 93,123 97,231 101,049 106,744 60
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 11,743 12,482 13,169 13,136 14,081 60
Subtotal: Veterans 129,784 130,621 130,673 129,829 133,200 63
War Service Survivors 55,371 51,471 47,375 43,184 37,828 89
CAF Survivors 9,257 9,560 9,847 11,928 14,848 68
RCMP Survivors 877 945 1,032 1,139 1,225 74
Subtotal: Survivors 65,505 61,976 58,254 56,251 53,901 83
Total: VAC Veterans and Survivors 195,289 192,597 188,927 186,080 187,101 69
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type
ForecastFootnote 5
Type of Service 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
War Service Veterans 10,100 7,800 6,000 4,500 3,300
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 111,200 115,900 120,500 124,900 129,100
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 15,400 1,700 18,100 19,500 20,900
Subtotal: Veterans 136,600 140,500 144,600 148,900 153,300
War Service Survivors 35,700 32,000 28,500 25,100 21,900
CAF Survivors 14,300 15,600 16,900 18,300 19,600
RCMP Survivors 1,400 1,500 1,700 1,900 2,000
Subtotal: Survivors 51,400 49,100 47,100 45,200 43,600
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 6 188,000 189,600 191,600 194,000 196,900

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.4 Total Number of Veterans by Sex, Service Type, and Age – March 2020

All Veterans
All Veterans by Sex War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 10,239 94,755 11,873 116,867 88%
Female 2,136 11,989 2,208 16,333 12%
Total 12,375 106,744 14,081 133,200 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 1,565 29 1,594 1%
30 to 39 0 9,390 769 10,159 8%
40 to 49 0 12,297 1,619 13,916 10%
50 to 59 0 22,548 2,331 24,879 19%
60 to 69 0 16,188 3,520 19,708 15%
70 to 79 0 17,384 2,600 19,984 15%
80 to 89 1,400 14,158 917 16,475 12%
90 and over 8,839 1,225 88 10,152 8%
Total 10,239 94,755 11,873 116,867 88%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 314 16 330 0%
30 to 39 0 1,550 290 1,840 1%
40 to 49 0 2,655 710 3,365 3%
50 to 59 0 3,961 758 4,719 4%
60 to 69 0 1,974 370 2,344 2%
70 to 79 0 688 58 746 1%
80 to 89 251 753 6 1,010 1%
90 and over 1,885 94 0 1,979 1%
Total 2,136 11,989 2,208 16,333 12%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of March 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 567 12,571 999 14,137 1,800
Sydney 89 1,243 106 1,438 152
Subtotal: Nova Scotia 656 13,814 1,105 15,575 1,952
Campbellton 89 866 97 1,052 96
Charlottetown 85 1,163 195 1,443 163
Cornerbrook 34 591 93 718 197
Oromocto 95 4,168 236 4,499 835
Saint John 261 3,964 439 4,664 360
St John's 109 1,717 351 2,177 377
Subtotal: NF and LAB, NB, PEI 673 12,469 1,411 14,553 2,028
Montreal 540 3,354 337 4,231 541
Quebec 197 8,452 112 8,761 1,818
St-Jean 100 2,062 122 2,284 315
Subtotal: Quebec 837 13,868 571 15,276 2,674
Gatineau 68 2,093 223 2,384 275
Ottawa 635 7,942 1,046 9,623 1,045
Pembroke 111 3,574 128 3,813 540
Subtotal: National Capital Area 814 13,609 1,397 15,820 1,860
Kingston 235 4,232 126 4,593 539
Peterborough 315 997 35 1,347 159
Thunder Bay 164 591 19 774 78
Toronto 1,354 2,016 100 3,470 346
Trenton 144 3,010 29 3,183 278
Subtotal: Central Ontario 2,212 10,846 309 13,367 1,409
Hamilton 500 1,766 86 2,352 214
London 323 1,337 91 1,751 220
North Bay 191 1,649 24 1,864 288
Mississauga 1,073 4,322 261 5,656 453
Windsor 314 1,419 62 1,795 162
Subtotal: South Western Ontario 2,401 10,493 524 13,418 1,337
Brandon 135 1,050 198 1,383 173
Calgary 647 4,753 1,339 6,739 455
Edmonton 371 6,677 1,061 8,109 1,039
Regina 166 752 492 1,410 107
Saskatoon 226 741 337 1,304 119
Winnipeg 396 2,357 433 3,159 290
Subtotal: Prairies 1,914 16,330 3,860 22,104 2,183
Kelowna 239 1,222 709 2,170 147
Penticton 348 1,653 884 2,885 131
Prince George 59 446 286 791 65
Surrey 611 1,971 1,335 3,917 164
Vancouver 550 1,323 582 2,455 256
Victoria 876 7,422 1,023 9,321 856
Subtotal: British Columbia and the North 2,683 14,037 4,819 21,539 1,619
Subtotal: Foreign Country Operations 167 1,174 56 1,397 88
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 18 104 29 151 25
Total 12,375 106,744 14,081 133,200 15,175

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

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