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Canada reverses decades of military decline with record enlistment
Canada's armed forces have enrolled over 7,000 new recruits in the past fiscal year-the highest intake in three decades-marking a sharp turnaround after years of chronic underfunding and personnel shortages.
Drivers behind the recruitment boom
Analysts attribute the surge to a mix of geopolitical instability, economic pressures, and policy changes. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered a spike in applications, with Charlotte Duval-Lantoine of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute noting that perceived global threats often motivate enlistment.
Domestic factors also play a role. Youth unemployment reached nearly 14% in March, while the military now offers competitive wages following Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement of the largest pay increase in a generation. The promise of job security and career stability has drawn more applicants, particularly among permanent residents-who now account for 20% of new recruits after eligibility rules were relaxed in 2022.
Funding and modernization efforts
Carney's government has prioritized military expansion, allocating over C$63 billion ($46 billion) to defence in 2026-the first time Canada has met NATO's 2% GDP spending target since the late 1980s. The funds will upgrade Arctic infrastructure, purchase new equipment, and modernize bases.
Despite these steps, experts caution that rebuilding capacity will take years. Richard Shimooka of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute estimates it could take a decade for the military to recover from decades of underinvestment. Currently, Canada can deploy only a few thousand troops at a time, compared to the UK's 10,000-strong capacity.
Historical reliance on the U.S. under scrutiny
Canada's military has long depended on its neighbor for protection, drawing criticism from U.S. officials. Former President Donald Trump's 2024 remarks labeling Canada a NATO "low-payer" and a "freeloader" amplified pressure on Ottawa to boost spending. Even after hitting the 2% target, Canada remains among the alliance's lowest spenders, trailing the U.S., UK, and France.
Shimooka argues this overreliance has left Canada's forces ill-prepared for modern conflicts, though recent reforms-such as digitizing recruitment processes-are beginning to address long-standing bureaucratic delays.
Morale improves, but challenges remain
Service members report a boost in morale following pay raises and promises of upgraded equipment. First Officer Alden Campbell of the Royal Canadian Air Force called the changes "long overdue," though he acknowledged the military remains "decades behind."
Attrition rates have also declined slightly, offering further hope for stability. Defence Minister David McGuinty expressed confidence in meeting recruitment goals ahead of schedule, citing nearly 100,000 applications in the past year-a sharp rise from 36,000 in 2019-20.
Future plans: A military on a war footing
Canada aims to expand its regular forces to 85,500 members and mobilize up to 300,000 reservists-a scale not attempted since 2004. Duval-Lantoine links this ambition to lessons from Ukraine's war, where manpower has been critical to sustaining resistance.
"Canada is preparing for future conflicts by studying the current one," she said. Whether these efforts will close the gap with allies remains an open question.
