Question Period Note: Recruitment and retention

What efforts are being undertaken to recruit more military members and retain those that are already in the Canadian Armed Forces?

• A ready and resilient Canadian Armed Forces is our best insurance against global uncertainty.
• In order to rebuild the Canadian Armed Forces to our authorized strength by 2032, National Defence is working to optimize and modernize how we recruit, retain, and support our members.
• Recent and important measures include the introduction of the Online Applicant Portal, the implementation of a probationary period for new members, and the adoption of a Common Enrolment Medical Standard to better reflect diverse health conditions of applicants.
• These initiatives are key enablers that remove barriers and get people enrolled quicker, while maintaining the high standards of the Canadian Armed Forces.
• Looking ahead, the Canadian Armed Forces has developed a multi-year plan that will further strengthen recruitment and prepare the military for increased domestic and international demands.
• This includes efforts to enhance suitability, medical, and security screening processes, as well as to maximize recruit training at our schools in St-Jean and Borden.
• National Defence is also working to retain those already serving Canada, in addition to our newly recruited members, by prioritizing how we support them and their families.
• This work includes investing in quality-of-life and cost-of-living supports for military families.
• For example, National Defence is investing $100 million over five years to improve access to affordable childcare and $1.4 billion to build new homes and renovate existing housing.
• The Defence Team is committed to improving the military experience and retaining members to ensure that we can continue to deliver on our mandate to Canadians.
  If pressed on attrition rate and defunding the Retention Program office:
• National Defence recognizes that retaining our existing members is just as critical as recruiting new members.
• The available resources to support the Retention Strategy have not changed.
• While the Retention Program Office no longer exists, its resources were reassigned to support our overarching reconstitution efforts.
• The main purpose of this alignment is to better coordinate and synchronize overall retention efforts.
• This allows our leadership to take a comprehensive approach to achieve our reconstitution and operational-readiness goals.

Online Application Portal (OAP):
* Launched on March 3, 2025, the OAP is designed to offer prospective candidates a more active role in the processing of their files, giving them the option to upload files electronically, book appointments online and track the progress of their application.
Probationary Period:
* As directed by the Independent External Comprehensive Review and the Defence Policy, on December 31, 2024, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) introduced a probationary period to ensure that problematic attitudes on culture and gender-based issues are assessed and promptly dealt with, including through early release.
* This probationary period also allows recruits to begin training while their security clearance and other administrative requirements are being processed.
* During this time, recruits must meet the required medical and security standards and demonstrate the CAF's ethos and values; if they fail to meet these requirements, they will be released.
Updated Common Enrolment Medical Standard:
* Announced in January 2025, the CAF will now consider applicants with conditions for enrolment, including ADHD, anxiety and asthma, instead of automatically disqualifying them.
* The new standard focuses on medical safety to attempt basic training and supports a case-by-case review of applicant files, helping to identify more individuals who are capable of successfully enrolling.
* This approach ensures that the CAF continues to uphold the principle of Universality of Service, while modernizing recruitment practices to be more inclusive, efficient, and responsive to the needs of Canadians.

Responsible Principals: Chief Military Personnel, Chief Professional Conduct and Culture

May 28, 2025

Quick facts

• The authorized Target Strength of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Regular Force is 71,500, and that of the Primary Reserve Force is 30,000.
  • As of March 31, 2025, the current Force Strength is approximately 65,700 Regular Force and 23,450 (Average Paid Strength) Primary Reserve Force members. This is approximately 12,350 short of the authorized strength.
• Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, the CAF received 77,727 applicants.
  • Canadian citizens represent more than 72% (56,084) of the total applicant pool.
  • Permanent Residents represent more than 28% (21,643) of the pool.
• In FY 2024-2025 (as of March 31, 2025), 11,386 individuals joined the Regular Force and Primary Reserve, 18.2% of whom were women.
  • 2023-2024 intake: 8,156 individuals.
  • 2022-2023 intake: 7,176 individuals.
    
    Indigenous Recruitment:
• As of March 31, 2025, 2.9% of the Regular Force and Primary Reserve identified as an Indigenous person; the goal is 3.5% by 2026.
• As of March 31, 2025, 27% of Canadian Rangers self-identify as Indigenous.
• National Defence implements a broad range of proactive and targeted recruitment programs aimed at increasing the representation of Indigenous Peoples in the CAF. These programs and initiatives include:
  • The CAF Indigenous Entry Program;
  • The Indigenous Leadership Opportunity Year;
  • Primary Reserve Indigenous Summer Programs.
    
    Cost-of-Living Supports – Childcare:
• Budget 2024 announced a total investment of $100 million over five years to enhance access to childcare services for CAF families.
• A small number of childcare spots are available through Military Family Resource Centres at 25 of 27 bases and wings; however, the vast number of CAF families must compete for childcare spots in the local civilian community where they live.
• In March 2025, the Government announced it had reached agreements with 11 of 13 provinces and territories to extend their current early learning and childcare agreements until March 31, 2031. The extended agreements provide up to an additional $36.8 billion over five years (2026–27 to 2030–31) and include a three per cent funding increase annually for four years, starting in 2027-2028.
• In part, this funding will help improve childcare access for military families by working with not-for-profit childcare providers to expand near bases and creating opportunities for scholarships for interested CAF family members to train and certify as Early Childhood Educators, in addition to creating a network of childcare coordinators to help families quickly connect to local childcare resources.
  Cost-of-Living Supports – Housing:
• Budget 2024 announced a total investment of $1.4 billion to build 1,400 homes and renovate 2,500 existing units.
  • This investment is planned over the next 20 years to build and renovate housing on bases and wings across the country, so that our military families can find housing near to where they are posted on bases such as Esquimalt, Edmonton, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Petawawa, Ottawa, Valcartier, Halifax, and Gagetown.