Veterans Affairs Canada 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 ProvinceFootnote2

Province War Service Veterans
(Second World War,
Korean War)		 Canadian Armed Forces Veterans
(Regular and Primary Reserve)		 Total Estimated Veterans
Newfoundland and Labrador 400 15,300 15,700
Prince Edward Island 300 3,700 4,000
Nova Scotia 2,000 39,000 41,000
New Brunswick 1,400 28,500 29,900
Quebec 3,000 116,800 119,800
Ontario 17,000 215,200 232,200
Manitoba 1,700 19,000 20,700
Saskatchewan 1,300 14,700 16,000
Alberta 3,300 65,000 68,300
British Columbia 8,700 81,100 89,800
Territories 0 1,900 1,900
Foreign Countries 600 n/a 600
Total: Estimated Canadian Veteran PopulationFootnote 1 39,700 600,200 639,900

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.2 Estimated Veteran Population by Average AgeFootnote 1

The total estimated Canadian Veteran population (War Service Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces Veterans) is 639,3900 as of March 2019.

Estimated War Service Veteran Population
Type of Service Average Age March 2019
Second World War Veterans 94 33,200
Korean War Veterans 87 6,500
Total: Estimated War Service Veteran Population 93 39,700
Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Population
Type of Service Average Age March 2019
Regular Forces 61 318,700
Primary Reserves 56 281,400
Total: Estimated Canadian Armed Forces Veteran PopulationFootnote 3 58 600,200

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, 2019
Type of Service 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 Average Age
(March 31, 2019)
War Service Veterans 35,449 29,740 25,016 20,273 15,644 94
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 83,872 88,301 93,123 97,231 101,049 60
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 11,005 11,743 12,482 13,169 13,136 60
Subtotal: Veterans 130,326 129,784 130,621 130,673 129,829 64
War Service Survivors 59,136 55,371 51,471 47,375 43,184 88
CAF Survivors 8,876 9,257 9,560 9,847 11,928 74
RCMP Survivors 816 877 945 1,032 1,139 74
Subtotal: Survivors 68,828 65,505 61,976 58,254 56,251 85
Total: VAC Veterans and Survivors 199,154 195,289 192,597 188,927 186,080 70
VAC Unique Veterans and Survivors by Service Type
ForecastFootnote 4
Type of Service 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
War Service Veterans 13,300 10,500 8,200 6,300 4,700
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans 107,300 111,600 115,700 119,600 123,300
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans 14,700 15,400 16,200 17,000 17,700
Subtotal: Veterans 135,500 137,500 140,100 142,800 145,800
War Service Survivors 39,500 35,600 31,700 28,000 24,600
CAF Survivors 11,400 12,200 13,000 13,800 14,700
RCMP Survivors 1,300 1,400 1,600 1,800 1,900
Subtotal: Survivors 52,100 49,200 46,300 43,700 41,200
Total: VAC Veterans and SurvivorsFootnote 1 187,400 186,700 186,400 186,500 187,000

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.4 Total Number of Veterans by Gender, Service Type, and Age – March 2019

All Veterans
All Veterans by Gender War Service CAF RCMP Total % Total
Male 13,414 90,731 11,191 115,336 89%
Female 2,230 10,318 1,945 14,493 11%
Total 15,644 101,049 13,136 129,829 100%
Male Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Male
29 and under 0 1,730 18 1,748 1%
30 to 39 0 8,738 711 9,449 7%
40 to 49 0 12,104 1,437 13,541 10%
50 to 59 0 21,900 2,234 24,134 19%
60 to 69 0 14,829 3,495 18,324 14%
70 to 79 0 17,275 2,386 19,661 15%
80 to 89 1,884 13,339 859 16,082 12%
90 and over 11,530 816 51 12,397 10%
Total 13,414 90,731 11,191 115,336 89%
Female Veterans
Age War Service CAF RCMP Total % Female
29 and under 0 293 18 311 0%
30 to 39 0 1,468 262 1,730 1%
40 to 49 0 2,471 631 3,102 2%
50 to 59 0 3,627 652 4,279 3%
60 to 69 0 1,501 333 1,834 1%
70 to 79 0 418 44 462 0%
80 to 89 95 493 5 593 0%
90 and over 2,135 47 0 2,182 2%
Total 2,230 10,318 1,945 14,493 11%

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Table 1.5 Veterans Served by Area Office as of March 2019

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 PlansFootnote5
Halifax 709 11,796 928 13,433 1,480
Sydney 110 1,151 95 1,356 160
Subtotal: Nova Scotia 819 12,947 1,023 14,789 1,640
Campbellton 115 810 90 1,015 74
Charlottetown 113 1,102 182 1,397 136
Oromocto 117 3,926 214 4,257 683
Saint John 330 3,710 417 4,457 313
Subtotal: NB, PEI and Gaspésie 675 9,548 903 11,126 1,206
Corner Brook 40 547 82 669 175
St John's 153 1,603 327 2,083 356
Subtotal: Newfoundland and Labrador 193 2,150 409 2,752 531
Quebec 251 7,953 105 8,309 1,501
Subtotal: Eastern Quebec 251 7,953 105 8,309 1,501
Gatineau 77 1,879 213 2,169 285
Montreal 687 3,193 313 4,193 452
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu 141 1,993 110 2,244 289
Subtotal: Western Quebec 905 7,065 636 8,606 1,026
North Bay 281 2,484 161 2,926 312
Ottawa 710 6,472 820 8,002 861
Pembroke 135 3,371 121 3,627 488
Thunder Bay 206 572 19 797 86
Subtotal: North Eastern Ontario and Nunavut 1,332 12,899 1,121 15,352 1,747
Kingston 298 3,980 114 4,392 443
Peterborough 416 935 34 1,385 109
Toronto 1,631 1,927 97 3,655 288
Trenton 184 2,935 26 3,145 289
Subtotal: Central Ontario 2,529 9,777 271 12,577 1,129
Hamilton 618 1,668 79 2,365 175
London 402 1,272 80 1,754 200
Mississauga 1,377 4,117 242 5,736 389
Windsor 400 1,329 60 1,789 166
Subtotal: South Western Ontario 2,797 8,386 461 11,644 930
Brandon 175 1,013 180 1,368 156
Regina 224 727 463 1,414 102
Saskatoon 302 730 317 1,349 124
Winnipeg 489 2,220 395 3,104 236
Subtotal: Manitoba and Saskatchewan 1,190 4,690 1,355 7,235 618
Calgary 797 4,604 1,277 6,678 386
Edmonton 479 6,237 956 7,672 865
Subtotal: Alberta and Northwest Territories 1,276 10,841 2,233 14,350 1,251
Kelowna 313 1,150 672 2,135 123
Penticton 459 1,576 829 2,864 78
Prince George 88 419 253 760 49
Surrey 762 1,989 1,267 4,018 208
Vancouver 735 1,242 534 2,511 193
Subtotal: BC Mainland and Yukon 2,357 6,376 3,555 12,288 651
Victoria 1,086 7,173 984 9,243 726
Subtotal: Vancouver Island and the Islands 1,086 7,173 984 9,243 726
Subtotal: Foreign Countries 222 1,162 59 1,443 105
Subtotal: Unknown/Missing 15 82 18 115 29
Total 15,647 101,049 13,133 129,829 13,090

Source: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services Branch

Date modified: