Veterans Affairs Canada / Anciens Combattants Canada

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 Province

Province War Service Veterans
(Second World War,
Korean War)		 Canadian Armed Forces Veterans
(Regular and Primary Reserve)		 Total Estimated Veterans
Newfoundland and Labrador 600 15,300 15,900
Prince Edward Island 300 3,700 4,000
Nova Scotia 2,500 39,100 41,600
New Brunswick 1,800 28,500 30,300
Quebec 3,700 116,900 120,600
Ontario 20,200 215,500 235,700
Manitoba 2,100 19,000 21,100
Saskatchewan 1,600 14,700 16,300
Alberta 4,200 65,100 69,300
British Columbia 10,500 81,200 91,700
Territories 0 1,900 1,900
Foreign Countries 800 n/a 800
Total: Estimated Canadian Veteran PopulationFootnote 1 48,300 601,000 649,300

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.2 Estimated Veteran Population by Average Age

The total estimated Canadian Veteran population (War Service Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces Veterans) is 649,300 as of March 2018.

Estimated War Service Veteran Population
Type of Service Average Age March 2018
Second World War 93 41,100
Korean War 86 7,200
Total: Estimated War Service Veteran Population 92 48,300
Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Population
Type of Service Average Age March 2018
Regular Forces 60 318,600
Primary Reserves 55 282,400
Total: Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Population 58 601,000

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 for fiscal years 2013 to 2018 as of March 31, 2018
Type of Service 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 Average Age
(March 31, 2018)		 YTD Dec 2018
War Service Veterans 42,239 35,449 29,740 25,016 20,139 93 17,078
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 80,577 83,872 88,301 93,123 96,644 60 100,494
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 10,475 11,005 11,743 12,482 12,360 60 13,014
Subtotal: Veterans 133,291 130,326 129,784 130,621 129,143 65 130,586
War Service Survivors 62,712 59,136 55,371 51,471 46,980 88 44,454
CAF Survivors 8,467 8,876 9,257 9,560 10,986 73 11,192
RCMP Survivors 743 816 877 945 1,036 73 1,103
Subtotal: Survivors 71,922 68,828 65,505 61,976 59,002 85 56,749
Total: VAC Veterans and Survivors 205,213 199,154 195,289 192,597 188,145 71 187,335
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type – ForecastFootnote2 for fiscal years 2018 to 2023
Type of Service 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
War Service Veterans 16,600 13,300 10,500 8,200 6,300
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 102,400 107,300 111,600 115,700 119,600
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 13,800 14,400 15,000 15,600 16,200
Subtotal: Veterans 133,000 134,800 137,100 139,600 142,300
War Service Survivors 43,400 39,500 35,600 31,700 28,000
CAF Survivors 10,600 11,400 12,200 13,000 13,800
RCMP Survivors 1,200 1,300 1,400 1,600 1,800
Subtotal: Survivors 55,400 52,000 50,500 48,800 47,000
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote1 188,300 186,800 187,600 188,400 189,300

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.4 Total Number of Veterans by Gender, Service Type, and Age – December 2018

All Veterans
Gender War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 14,278 90,000 11,104 115,382 88%
Female 2,800 10,494 1,910 15,204 12%
Total 17,078 100,494 13,014 130,586 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 1,726 17 1,743 1%
30 to 39 0 8,551 701 9,252 7%
40 to 49 0 12,025 1,418 13,443 10%
50 to 59 0 21,743 2,249 23,992 18%
60 to 69 0 14,574 3,472 18,046 14%
70 to 79 0 17,415 2,354 19,769 15%
80 to 89 2,010 13,237 843 16,090 12%
90 and over 12,268 729 50 13,047 10%
Total 14,278 90,000 11,104 115,382 88%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 283 17 300 0%
30 to 39 0 1,463 263 1,726 1%
40 to 49 0 2,415 625 3,040 2%
50 to 59 0 3,582 635 4,217 3%
60 to 69 0 1,448 322 1,770 1%
70 to 79 97 577 43 717 1%
80 to 89 270 656 5 931 1%
90 and over 2,433 70 0 2,503 2%
Total 2,800 10,494 1,910 15,204 12%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of December 2018

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 PlansFootnote3
Halifax 774 11,731 923 13,428 1,568
Sydney 122 1,148 92 1,362 185
Subtotal: Nova Scotia 896 12,879 1,015 14,790 1,753
Campbellton 154 1,011 92 1,257 104
Charlottetown 116 1,107 179 1,402 151
Oromocto 135 3,900 213 4,248 721
Saint John 368 3,690 407 4,465 315
Subtotal: NB, PEI and Gaspésie 773 9,708 891 11,372 1,291
Corner Brook 42 539 79 660 178
St John's 165 1,594 326 2,085 375
Subtotal: Newfoundland and Labrador 207 2,133 405 2,745 553
Quebec 243 7,654 104 8,001 1,546
Subtotal: Eastern Quebec 243 7,654 104 8,001 1,546
Gatineau 86 1,852 210 2,148 298
Montreal 750 3,160 314 4,224 508
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu 145 1,980 106 2,231 321
Subtotal: Western Quebec 981 6,992 630 8,603 1,127
North Bay 320 2,515 166 3,001 342
Ottawa 765 6,356 799 7,920 917
Pembroke 147 3,339 121 3,607 518
Thunder Bay 228 570 19 817 87
Subtotal: North Eastern Ontario and Nunavut 1,460 12,780 1,105 15,345 1,864
Kingston 321 3,953 114 4,388 476
Peterborough 454 924 34 1,412 107
Toronto 1,783 1,941 96 3,820 377
Trenton 197 2,912 26 3,135 299
Subtotal: Central Ontario 2,755 9,730 270 12,755 1,259
Hamilton 674 1,652 76 2,402 210
London 450 1,284 75 1,809 224
Mississauga 1,488 4,138 241 5,867 431
Windsor 439 1,306 61 1,806 161
Subtotal: South Western Ontario 3,051 8,380 453 11,884 1,026
Brandon 193 1,002 177 1,372 155
Regina 251 729 466 1,446 108
Saskatoon 336 723 313 1,372 126
Winnipeg 538 2,236 393 3,167 271
Subtotal: Manitoba and Saskatchewan 1,318 4,690 1,349 7,357 660
Calgary 877 4,591 1,269 6,737 395
Edmonton 513 6,177 942 7,632 933
Subtotal: Alberta and Northwest Territories 1,390 10,768 2,211 14,369 1,328
Kelowna 342 1,151 669 2,162 135
Penticton 494 1,576 822 2,892 72
Prince George 99 419 247 765 47
Surrey 834 2,006 1,265 4,105 225
Vancouver 800 1,264 521 2,585 235
Subtotal: BC Mainland and Yukon 2,569 6,416 3,524 12,509 714
Victoria 1,178 7,133 978 9,289 769
Subtotal: Vancouver Island and the Islands 1,178 7,133 978 9,289 769
Subtotal: Foreign Countries 239 1,156 63 1,458 112
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 18 75 16 109 0
Total 17,078 100,494 13,014 130,586 14,002

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

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