More Canadians want to join the military, but enlisted members keep leaving
Global News
Numbers obtained by Global News show the retention crisis is getting worse, as Prime Minister Mark Carney vows to rebuild the military.
Interest has spiked in the Canadian military, with recruitment levels hitting their highest point in a decade. But as more people walk in the door, thousands of enlisted members are deciding to walk out.
Numbers obtained by Global News show the retention crisis worsened year over year, as Prime Minister Mark Carney who is attending the NATO summit in Brussels, vows to rebuild the Armed Forces and reduce Canada’s dependence on the U.S.
“The reason why retention has not been improving is because the military has been putting all of his eggs in the recruitment basket,” said Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a defence analyst with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
According to figures from the Department of National Defence, attrition rates in the regular forces increased, with 5,026 leaving the military between 2024 and 2025, compared with 4,256 during the same period the previous year.
Retention among reservists improved slightly during the past two years. Overall, the situation has remained largely stagnant, the DND numbers show.
“This is knowledge and readiness that we’re losing that new recruits cannot replace immediately … and skills that are necessary to defend Canada,” Duval-Lantoine said.
Recruitment in the regular forces hit a record high this fiscal year, but not all 6,706 enrolled will pass basic training. The gains are offset by the loss of 5,026 members.
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