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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 15,100 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 400 - 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 52,300
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)
2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
War Service Veterans 25,016 20,273 15,644 12,375 8,026 95
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 93,123 97,231 101,049 106,744 112,252 59
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 12,482 13,169 13,136 14,081 16,640 59
Subtotal: Veterans 130,621 130,673 129,829 133,200 136,918 61
War Service Survivors 51,471 47,375 43,184 37,828 34,398 88
CAF Survivors 9,560 9,847 11,928 14,848 15,729 68
RCMP Survivors 945 1,032 1,139 1,225 1,317 73
Subtotal: Survivors 61,976 58,254 56,251 53,901 51,444 82
Total: VAC Veterans and Survivors 192,597 188,927 186,080 187,101 188,362 67
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type ForecastFootnote 5
2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
War Service Veterans 8,200 6,300 4,800 3,500 2,600
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 131,500 135,900 140,000 143,900 147,300
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 18,400 19,400 20,300 21,300 22,000
Subtotal: Veterans 158,200 161,600 165,100 168,700 172,000
War Service Survivors 30,100 26,500 23,100 20,100 17,300
CAF Survivors 17,500 19,100 20,800 22,500 24,200
RCMP Survivors 1,500 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200
Subtotal: Survivors 49,100 47,300 45,800 44,600 43,700
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 6 207,300 208,900 210,900 213,300 215,600

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

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

All Veterans by Sex War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 6,656 99,498 13,996 120,150 88%
Female 1,324 12,296 2,635 16,255 12%
Unknown 46 458 9 513 0%
Total 8,026 112,252 16,640 136,918 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 2,263 74 2,337 2%
30 to 39 0 11,046 1,172 12,218 9%
40 to 49 0 13,331 2,173 15,504 11%
50 to 59 0 23,599 2,825 26,424 19%
60 to 69 0 16,659 3,890 20,549 15%
70 to 79 0 17,453 2,852 20,305 15%
80 to 89 756 13,575 936 15,267 11%
90 and over 5,900 1,572 74 7,546 6%
Total 6,656 99,498 13,996 120,150 88%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 443 26 469 0%
30 to 39 0 1,878 398 2,276 2%
40 to 49 0 2,891 887 3,778 3%
50 to 59 0 4,109 863 4,972 4%
60 to 69 0 1,918 400 2,318 2%
70 to 79 0 479 56 535 0%
80 to 89 19 511 5 535 0%
90 and over 1,305 67 0 1,372 1%
Total 1,324 12,296 2,635 16,255 12%
Total Unknown Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Unknown
29 and under 0 1 0 1 0%
30 to 39 0 5 1 6 0%
40 to 49 0 11 0 11 0%
50 to 59 0 70 1 71 0%
60 to 69 0 96 1 97 0%
70 to 79 0 139 3 142 0%
80 to 89 4 123 3 130 0%
90 and over 42 13 0 55 0%
Total 46 458 9 513 0%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of March 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 399 13,415 1,188 15,002 1,881
Sydney 64 1,342 124 1,530 158
Subtotal: Nova ScotiaFootnote 8 463 14,757 1,312 16,532 2,039
Campbellton 64 914 104 1,082 87
Charlottetown 70 1,210 210 1,490 168
Cornerbrook 23 620 110 753 163
Oromocto 74 4,382 254 4,710 869
Saint John 204 4,262 492 4,958 391
St John's 87 1,883 404 2,374 372
Subtotal: NF and LAB, NB, PEI 522 13,271 1,574 15,367 2,050
Montreal 412 3,501 345 4,258 513
Quebec 140 9,145 121 9,406 1,798
St-Jean 74 2,211 130 2,415 316
Subtotal: Quebec 626 14,857 596 16,079 2,627
Gatineau 46 2,329 239 2,614 318
Ottawa 459 8,314 1,125 9,898 1,059
Pembroke 92 3,830 130 4,052 540
Subtotal: National Capital Area 597 14,473 1,494 16,564 1,917
Kingston 174 4,400 140 4,714 540
Peterborough 228 955 36 1,219 124
Thunder Bay 120 661 17 798 115
Toronto 964 2,103 107 3,174 339
Trenton 117 3,156 30 3,303 303
Subtotal: Central Ontario 1,603 11,275 330 13,208 1,421
Hamilton 366 1,822 94 2,282 228
London 234 1,408 94 1,736 259
North Bay 171 1,765 31 1,967 260
Mississauga 740 4,362 272 5,374 411
Windsor 230 1,503 69 1,802 127
Subtotal: South Western Ontario 1,741 10,860 560 13,161 1,285
Brandon 99 1,097 228 1,424 142
Calgary 402 4,219 1,230 5,851 432
Edmonton 314 7,905 1,440 9,659 1,146
Regina 122 778 539 1,439 103
Saskatoon 167 766 374 1,307 119
Winnipeg 285 2,484 491 3,260 331
Subtotal: Prairies 1,389 17,249 4,302 22,940 2,273
Kelowna 163 1,215 752 2,130 117
Penticton 264 1,698 949 2,911 154
Prince George 37 477 335 849 78
Surrey 461 1,986 1,434 3,881 201
Vancouver 381 1,407 649 2,437 231
Victoria 646 7,705 1,086 9,437 839
Subtotal: British Columbia and the North 1,952 14,488 5,205 21,645 1,620
Subtotal: Foreign Country Operations 122 1,214 63 1,399 94
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 0 10 13 23 2
Total 9,015 112,454 15,449 136,918 15,328

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

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