Military recruitment appears to be in great shape across Canada.
Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, announced on Monday that for a second consecutive year, the Canadian Armed Forces surpassed its Regular Force recruiting target.
In fiscal year 2025/26, the CAF enrolled 7,310 new members, surpassing its target of 6,957 new members and marking the highest number of enrolments in more than three decades.
This follows the historic changes to the military pay and compensation packages, announced last year – giving the dedicated men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces a long overdue pay raise.
“The Canadian Armed Forces’ continued recruiting success signals more than progress—it reflects a renewed strength at the core of our military,” stated McGuinty.
“Our investments are delivering, and we are accelerating that momentum by modernizing recruitment, removing barriers to service, and upholding the high standards that ensure the CAF remains ready to defend Canada—at home and around the world.”
In fiscal year 2026/27, the CAF will build on this progress with a recruiting objective of 8,200 enrolments.
Bay of Quinte MPP Chris Malette stated in a message to InQuinte.ca that he was proud to attend the announcement on behalf of the men and women of 8 Wing CFB Trenton.
“The announcement is a testament to the commitment our government is making in the Canadian Armed Forces as a whole and great news for 8 Wing itself as we know the ranks of specialty positions are being filled with quality recruits and trained professional personnel.”
This reflects the federal government’s ongoing commitment to expanding recruiting and training capacity to meet domestic and international operational demands and improve efficiency.
Building on this momentum, the CAF will introduce a Digital Onboarding System (DOS) in the next fiscal year, which will initially focus on high-impact onboarding activities that can be introduced earlier in the recruiting and training pipeline.
The system is designed to better prepare candidates ahead of basic training by supporting administrative readiness, early engagement, and foundational mental and physical preparation.
“We have committed to spending levels required, across the board, to properly pay our men and women in service, to train and equip them with the best kit and equipment and, in the case of 8 Wing, to introduce and be home to the latest and best air transport aircraft required for the job,” Malette added.
“These recruitment figures show that in spades. Bravo Zulu to the young and not so young Canadians stepping forward for a career in the Canadian Armed Forces and we’re proud to make this the best decision of your lives.”
No firm numbers have been determined yet on how many of these new recruits will be posted at CFB Trenton.
