Several Canadian employers endorse veteran-ready declaration

Military veterans can help address Canada’s ongoing labour shortages, but their value is often misunderstood, according to experts. 

Currently, more than four in 10 Canadian veterans are seniors aged 65 and older — but nearly one-third are in the core working-age group of 25 to 54, according to the True Patriot Love Foundation. 

To that end, 11 organizations recently endorsed the Veteran Ready Canada Declaration to create a community of employers committed to supporting and expanding employment opportunities for Canada's military Veterans. They include Scotiabank, the Boeing Company, ATCO and BMO. 

The endorsement took place at the Veteran Employment Symposium hosted by True Patriot Love as part of the Invictus Games Whistler Vancouver 2025. 

Skilled individuals with extensive training 

“People tend to see veterans as something that's a charitable initiative, and that's an entirely wrong way to think about it,” says Nick Booth, True Patriot Love’s CEO. 

Veterans, he explains, are highly skilled individuals who have received extensive training in the armed forces, preparing them for a wide range of professions. 

“And they bring those to the workforce at a time when all employers are desperately seeking skills.” 

Booth also notes that, at the Invictus Games, the federal government – through the Veterans Affairs Canada – announced $910,000 in funding to support the rollout of a pilot from Ontario into other provinces under the title ‘Building a Veteran Friendly Canada.’ 

Also the federal government recently announced it is investing more than $15 million over three years through the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund (VFWF) to help veterans transition to employment after their military service. 

British Columbia alone expects a massive labour shortage in the province over the next decade. From 2024 to 2034, there will be 1.12 million job openings in the province, according to a report from WorkBC. 

Bridging the transition from armed forces 

Each year, roughly 8,000 personnel leave the Canadian Armed Forces, with the majority seeking employment in the civilian workforce, according to True Love Patriot.  

However, the transition from military to civilian careers can be challenging, says Eleanor Taylor, head of community engagement and advocacy at the foundation. A veteran herself, Taylor recently made this transition and understands the obstacles first-hand. 

“When I left, one of the challenges that I faced was I did not know how to articulate those experiences, and I also couldn't visualize what a civilian organization looked like, what they valued, or how to explain my experiences in a way that was aligned with the value of the [CAF].” 

That hinders many veterans from landing suitable employment, and also prevents many employers from learning about the value that these veterans can bring to their workforce, she says. 

While in service, military personnel learn and develop skills that can be invaluable to employers, says Taylor. 

“Like many, many people in the Canadian Armed Forces, I started to deploy almost immediately after I enrolled. So I had opportunities to lead in Kosovo, in Bosnia, in Afghanistan.  

“In those contexts, I had to work across the Canadian Armed Forces, with Allied forces, with civil leaders, and collaborate to find solutions to complex problems on the ground in those places – sometimes in dangerous settings… The people in the Canadian Armed Forces – regardless of whether they served in the Army, the Air Force or the Navy – are exposed to those kinds of challenges and have to rise to them and develop skills aligned with those challenges.” 

She also notes that military personnel receive “extensive leadership training and are accustomed to working in high-pressure, team-oriented environments” – qualities that translate well into corporate settings. 

How can employers access the veteran talent pool? 

However, while many employers express a willingness to hire veterans, they often struggle with the implementation of their hiring initiatives. Booth says that businesses typically fall into two categories: those that want to be veteran-friendly but do not know how, and those that have tried hiring veterans but failed to retain them due to cultural mismatches. 

“Very often, they'll hire a veteran, and that veteran doesn't stay, and they'll say, ‘Well, but we tried,’” says Booth.  

“I often push back and say, How intentional were you about understanding the change that's required for both sides in that match?’ 

“So businesses that do it really well – and there are businesses that do it well – are quite intentional about understanding the difference.” 

Businesses that find success in hiring veterans have some of these initiatives, for example, he says: 

• Veterans on recruitment panels 

• Buddy system for veterans 

• Veteran employee resource groups in the business 

• Making sure you've got veterans on an interview panel 

• Making sure veteran applicants see another veteran who has made a successful transition to private life within the organization and can speak their language 

• Having a “skills translator” 

Booth recommends that employers try to adapt the same practices. 

Meanwhile, Taylor suggests that employers take the time to get informed about the resources that are out there to help them successfully hire veterans. 

“I would encourage every organization out there who's interested in hiring and meeting veterans to sign up for the Veterans Affairs Canada LinkedIn page… It gives employers and veterans an opportunity to meet at recurring seminars where an organization could talk to the veterans who are seeking work.” 

Previously, Ontario introduced Honouring Veterans Act, 2024, which introduces changes to accelerate credential recognition for veterans and military spouses who are regulated professionals from other provinces and relocating to Ontario.