The Royal Canadian Legion's B.C./Yukon Command is reporting a sharp rise in membership as the organization marks its 100th anniversary in 2026. As of Nov. 3, more than 43,000 new members had joined across the command, compared with fewer than 9,000 at the same point last year. The number of paid memberships this year has reached nearly 85,000, up from about 50,000 in 2025.
The growth follows a decision by the Legion to make membership free for all Canadians in 2026. Membership is open to people who are not veterans and not family members of veterans, a change that widens who can take part in the organization's work. Command president Bob Underhill said the surge reflects a wider interest among Canadians in being involved with the Legion beyond the activity most people associate with it.
Underhill said he hopes that support will extend beyond the annual poppy campaign, which for many Canadians is their most visible contact with the Legion each year. The poppy campaign is a long-standing feature of the lead-up to Remembrance Day, when the Legion distributes poppies in exchange for donations. Underhill's remarks point to a hope that new members will stay engaged through the rest of the year rather than only during the November appeal.
The membership figures arrive as the organization marks a century since its founding. The Legion has a presence in communities across British Columbia and Yukon, where its branches host commemorations, support veterans and their families, and run programs locally. The anniversary has given the organization a focal point for outreach at a time when it is seeking to connect with a broader public.
The jump in paid memberships, from about 50,000 last year to nearly 85,000 this year, is the clearest measure of how the free-membership year has changed the organization's numbers. The new-member figure of more than 43,000 as of early November means that most of this year's growth has come in the weeks and months after the policy took effect, rather than being spread evenly across the year. Those figures are the command's own reporting and show the scale of the change within its region.
Remembrance Day ceremonies will take place across the province on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Ceremonies will include a moment of silence at 11 a.m. local time, a tradition that marks the end of hostilities in the First World War in 1918. Legion branches are expected to hold services in communities large and small, and the anniversary year gives this year's observances added weight.
7
