The Canadian Armed Forces has announced that it has seen a record year in terms of recruitment, a much needed boost after years of declining personnel and missed recruiting targets..During an interview with CTV News at the Leadership and Recruit School in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Commandant Marc Kieley says that 2025 has been a year of optimism for the CAF. "This year, we put on 7,600 basic training seats, which is the most we’ve ever run," said Commandant Kieley, "This is the most we have ever run in the post-Cold War history of the Canadian Forces.” .This boost has been attributed to a multitude of factors, with the recent 20% pay raise to privates as well as a more streamlined recruitment and training process have been credited as the main reasons behind the increase. .It also should come at no surprise that, with the Federal Government aiming to hit the NATO minimum defence spending target of 2% of GDP by March, followed by an intent to hit 5% by 2035, that recruitment has seen such a spike.
