Numbers alone don’t tell the story of Canada’s military: new faces line up at recruitment centres, eager to serve, yet the ranks continue to thin as experienced members quietly depart. The real measure of a nation’s defence isn’t just how many join—but how many stay.
The so-called retention crisis has become the Canadian Armed Forces’ defining challenge. While the country boasts record recruitment levels—the highest in a decade—this growth is shadowed by an exodus: more veterans and regular force members leave each year, taking with them hard-earned expertise that basic training simply can’t replicate overnight. According to Department of National Defence figures, 5,026 regular force members exited between 2024 and 2025, a leap from the 4,256 who left the prior year. Reservist retention, on the other hand, has shown modest improvement, but these gains are not enough to offset broader losses.
Some policy-makers trumpet the surge in applications, with over 77,000 Canadians pressing “Apply Now” online. The military has broadened eligibility and promised salary bumps. Yet, as defence analyst Charlotte Duval-Lantoine warns, putting all hope on recruitment is a gamble. “This is knowledge and readiness that we’re losing that new recruits cannot replace immediately,” she cautions. The regular forces may welcome 6,706 new enrollees, but not all will make it through training, and their numbers don’t erase the expertise lost to attrition.
Why do so many choose to leave? The reasons are as varied as the soldiers themselves—challenges with career management, insufficient pay, and a scarcity of affordable housing surface repeatedly. For reservists, the situation is marginally brighter, thanks to recent reforms and support, but the gulf remains wide. The Department of National Defence insists the fluctuations are “within the normal range,” yet the urgency is palpable among those watching the numbers climb.
At its core, the retention crisis exposes a flaw in treating recruitment as a cure-all. Without a parallel commitment to keeping seasoned personnel in uniform, Canada’s military readiness—and the safety of the communities it serves—remains at risk. The lesson is clear: recruitment is only half the battle. The other half is convincing those already inside the wire to stay.
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More Canadians want to join the military, but enlisted members keep leaving
