OTTAWA — Defence Minister David McGuinty says military recruitment has reached a 30-year high after the Canadian Armed Forces brought in more than 7,000 new members in the past year.

McGuinty says the military received more than 44,000 applications over the past year to join the regular force, which is 62 per cent higher than the year before.

McGuinty says a hike to military pay and changes to medical requirements for enlistment helped push up the numbers.

The last minister of defence, Bill Blair, said in 2024 the Canadian Armed Forces was locked in a recruitment “death spiral.”

While McGuinty isn’t willing to comment on whether Canada is out of the woods on recruitment, he says the news is certainly “positive.”

He also acknowledges the military is still facing shortages in specific trades, such as weapons engineer technicians and marine technicians.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2026.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press