Canadian military recruitment down 35% in 2022: document
Military recruitment in the Canadian Forces fell 35 percent by 2022, with just 5,242 volunteers enlisting, compared to 8,069 in 2021, according to a federal briefing note from the Department of National Defense.
“The Canadian Forces serve Canada by defending our values, interests and sovereignty at home and abroad. However, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is facing a personnel shortage that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and labor shortages across Canada,” the briefing, titled “Recruitment And Retention,” said.
The CAF aims to increase application numbers by “streamlining and redesigning” the hiring process to manage applications more efficiently, according to the document, which was first obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.
The recruiting strategy includes prioritizing the recognition of past experience to accelerate military career paths, enable permanent residents to apply for the CAF, and enhance synergy to “better place members in occupations that match their interests , skills, abilities and experience,” the briefing note says.
The CAF is also increasing its outreach and education to underrepresented groups of Canadians. The document says this includes lowering barriers to the recruitment of women, Indigenous and LGBT recruits, saying “every Canadian should see the Canadian Forces as a first-class career choice where they will feel welcome, valued and safe.” “
In 2022, the CAF removed “binary uniform and appearance choices”, giving members “the freedom to choose the uniform that makes them most comfortable”.
“Through these efforts, the CAF will become a premier career choice that will attract talented Canadians for years to come, ensuring that the armed forces are optimized to meet current and future security needs at home and abroad,” the briefing said.
In October 2022, Chief of Defense Staff General Wayne Eyre warned that due to a recruitment shortage, Canada lacked the military “we need” to face future threats. He added that CAF readiness was declining and, in the context of threats to the rules-based international order, this made him “very, very concerned”.
According to a ministry survey submitted to the House of Commons, the army estimates minimum strength requirements at 60,500 regular members fully trained with a job target of 68,000. Regular forces currently number 63,477.
In 2017, then Deputy Defense Secretary John Forester testified in the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee that it “made no sense that we had a target of 68,000 and continued to fall short of 4,000 people”.
“It’s a challenge,” he said.
