Canada's Military Recruitment Surge
Wednesday, 2026/05/27162 words3 minutes1324 reads
For many years, Canada did not spend enough money on its military. Two years ago, a government minister said the armed forces were in a "death spiral" because so few people wanted to join.
Now things are changing. Canada's military reached its highest recruitment numbers in 30 years. Over 7,000 new members joined last year, and nearly 100,000 people applied. This growth comes as the world faces major conflicts and uncertainty.
Several factors explain this increase. Global conflicts like the war in Ukraine made people realize their country might need protection. Canada's high youth unemployment rate, currently at 14%, also pushes young people to seek stable jobs. The military now offers better pay and has reduced bureaucratic obstacles in the application process.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada now spends 2% of its GDP on defense, meeting NATO requirements for the first time since the 1980s. The country plans to expand to 85,500 regular service members and up to 300,000 reservists.
