The website is for a local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, which has a long history of proudly supporting Veterans. When the First World War came to an end, numerous Veterans groups and regimental associations representing former service members were created. Despite their shared goals, efforts were fragmented and unsuccessful.

An appeal for unity led to the formation of the Dominion Veterans Alliance and, in Winnipeg in 1925, the Legion was founded as “The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League.” It was incorporated by a special Act of Parliament and the Charter was issued in July 1926. On December 19, 1960, Queen Elizabeth II gave her consent to use the prefix ‘Royal’, and the organization became known as ‘The Royal Canadian Legion.” The Act of Incorporation was later amended in 1961 to make the change official.

The Legion’s initial main objective was to provide a strong voice for First World War Veterans. However, the advent of the Second World War created a host of new demands. The Legion expanded to offer more dedicated support to Veterans, as well as those serving abroad.

Today, the Legion continues to improve the lives of Veterans, including serving Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, and their families. This has been our principal objective since our inception and we will continue to work for it today and every day forward.

Although initially formed to support Veterans and their families, the Legion is now open to everyone to participate in Legion activities. You no longer need to be active in the Military, or a family member to join. We welcome everyone!

Some activities do require membership; however, most just offer a discounted price for members to attend. In a limited number of case you must be a member to participate. Examples would dart and shuffleboard tournaments which are restricted to members.

For obvious reasons the Legion has lost numerous Veterans from much earlier wars, such as the First and Second wars, so we are now open to everyone regardless of whether or not they have served in any branch of the Military.

For The Royal Canadian Legion, every member counts. We offer opportunities for all members to help shape the direction of the organization. Our policies and positions are determined through a member-driven resolution process that invites all members to bring forward issues, opportunities and solutions to their Branch. Resolutions may then be brought forward for provincial or national consideration by the membership.

The leadership of the Legion is elected by the membership through Branch, Provincial and Dominion elections. Legion Branches are autonomous and independently operated. Their policies and activities are defined by their membership in accordance with Legion by-laws, allowing them to meet the needs of local Veterans and support their community. Branches have an elected executive and committees that guide their activities, and volunteer Service Officers who can assist local Veterans or refer them to Provincial Command for specialized help.

Provincial Commands have an executive elected by members within the Command. Their role is to provide direction and support to their branches and ensure they abide by Legion by-laws. Each Command has trained professional Command Service Officers that assist Veterans with benefit applications and support. Provincial Commands also develop provincial programs and initiatives to meet Veteran needs. Provincial Commands hold Provincial Conventions every two years to determine provincial policies and direction for the Command.

Dominion Command is the national headquarters and is chiefly responsible for all national advocacy, Veteran representation and assistance, national program development and administrative oversight of the organization. On a national level, positions and policies are determined by the Dominion Executive Council (DEC), the national governing body of The Royal Canadian Legion. DEC members are comprised of the Dominion President and the Senior Elected Officers, elected by the membership at Dominion Convention. DEC also includes the President of each Provincial Command and Special Section. Other members including the Dominion Grand President and Chairs of the Defence and Security Committee, the Constitution and Laws Committee, and the Ritual and Awards Committee, and others as appointed by the Dominion President, may attend but are non-voting members of DEC. 

We encourage all members of the Legion to participate in developing the direction of the Legion by getting involved at the Branch level, voting in Branch, Provincial Command and Dominion Command elections, and taking on leadership roles within the organization.

Community volunteers

Volunteerism is one of The Royal Canadian Legion’s core activities. At its heart, the Legion is a grassroots organization that has its greatest impact through volunteer, community-based activities. Legionnaires comprise one of the largest volunteer bases in the country, committing millions of volunteer hours each year.

Through its local Branches and members, the Legion raises funds and supports essential services for those in need, and responds to the unique needs of their community. Our work at the community level includes outreach and assistance programs for Veterans and their families, fundraising to support essential community services, offering supports for seniors and families in need, organizing commemorative ceremonies and promoting Remembrance, and more. In times of local or regional crisis, Legion Branches and Legionnaires are there to support those who have been adversely affected by an emergency.

There are many ways to get involved and have a direct impact on your community. Contact your local Branch to find out more.

A place to connect

Legion Branches are central places for people to gather and feel connected to their neighbours. In many places, they serve as the primary community centre, hosting weddings, town meetings, community BBQs, memorial services, and other important events and activities.

Legion Branches are the cornerstones of communities. We encourage everyone to visit their local Branch and find out all we have to offer.

Supporting youth in our communities

Many Canadians don’t realize that the Legion is one of the largest supporters of community youth activities in the country. The Legion promotes Remembrance to the younger generation and works with schools and youth organizations to keep the memories of our Fallen Veterans alive. The Legion also supports youth leadership programs and activities such as Cadets, Scouts and Guides, and youth sports, helping build the next generation of leaders. Visit our Youth education and Youth leadership pages to find out more.

The Royal Canadian Legion understands the challenges military families face, and the sacrifices they may endure, and we strive to support these families through a range of programs and referral services.

The Legion supports Veterans and their dependents. Eligible family members include:

• A spouse by marriage or common-law
• A child of a Veteran, under the age of 18 or in university/college to age 25
• A child of a Veteran, that was incapacitated prior to the age of 21 and declared dependent on the Veteran

Below are some of the services and supports available through the Legion for spouses and dependents of Veterans.

Services available through Legion Command Service Officers

• Assistance in accessing benefits and supports through Veterans Affairs Canada
• Support and referrals for assistance with a Veteran adjusting to civilian life
• Emergency financial assistance 
• Referrals for mental health support and services
• Provide assistance and supports for independent living
• Support in accessing funeral and burial services for a Veteran

Please contact a Legion Command Service Officer for information and assistance on these services, or for questions about other care or support needed.

Services available at many Legion Branches

In addition to services above, many Branches offer programs and supports to meet the needs of local Veterans and their community.  Below are a few examples of programs offered through Branches.

• Military family events, meetups, dinners, and other recreational activities for serving and retired military and RCMP members and their families in their community.
• Health clinics, educational seminars, and wellness programs to support Veterans, their families and the community.
• Educational bursaries through the Poppy Fund for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Veterans who need financial assistance to pursue a post-secondary education.

Please contact a volunteer Service Officer at your local Legion Branch to ask about services and supports available at your Branch.

Veteran Support Partnership Program

Through generous donations to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Trust Fund, the Legion is able to provide funding to eligible organizations undertaking Veteran support initiatives, as outlined in the Poppy Manual.

Eligible organizations that provide support for Veterans and/or their families may apply for funding through the Legion.

Eligible Organizations

Eligible recipient organizations are non-profit and for-profit organizations, based in Canada. Individuals and federal or provincial organizations are not eligible for funding. To be eligible, the project must support Veterans as defined by the Legion, and/or their families.

The Legion’s definition of a Veteran:

“A Veteran is any person who is serving or who has honorably served in the Canadian Armed Forces, the Commonwealth or its wartime allies, or as a Regular Member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or as a Peace Officer in a Special Duty Area or on a Special Duty Operation, or who has served in the Merchant Navy or Ferry Command during wartime.”

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects may be assessed against the following criteria:

• The project must be of a finite duration, with clear start and end dates within a calendar year.
• The applicant has the capacity to deliver the project.
• If the project has a physical and/or psychological remedial intent, it must be sanctioned by an accredited institution.
• The project objectives are specific and realistic and clearly support the objective of the Legion.
• The project will have noticeable impact and reach.
• Where agreements for collaboration are required to ensure the successful delivery of the project, contributors have confirmed their participation.
• The proposed budget is reasonable and sufficiently detailed.

Ineligible Projects

A project is NOT eligible if:

• it establishes a requirement for operational (core) funding to the organization;
• it duplicates government or Legion initiatives;
• it creates a financial dependency;
• it is of a commercial nature and allows the organization to generate profits or increase its economic value;
• it is completed before the application is submitted; or
• its revenues cover or exceed expenditures.

Examples of eligible expenditures directly related to the project may include:

• professional fees;
• administrative expenditures (e.g. printing, photocopying, fax, mail);
• equipment and machinery rental expenditures;
• facility rental expenditures (e.g. meeting rooms);
• travel expenditures inherent to the success of the project; and
• material development and distribution expenditures (e.g. print, translation, mail).

Ineligible expenditures

Expenditures that are NOT eligible include, but are not limited to:

• air travel;
• design or assessment fees for projects;
• construction expenditures for projects;
• operational expenditures;
• fundraising expenditures; and
• insurance expenditures.

How to apply

Poppy Funds to eligible organizations are disbursed at the national, provincial and branch levels of the Legion, depending on where the organization operates.

To apply for Poppy Funds, please use ONE of the avenues below, depending on where your program operates:

Organizations that operate a program locally or within one province

Organizations with programs that operate exclusively within the territory of a single province may apply for Poppy Funds through the applicable Legion Provincial Command. This includes requesting the authority to solicit branch funds within that province.

For programs that are exclusively within an individual province send your request to the applicable Provincial Executive Director at https://legion.ca/contact-us/provincial-commands

Organizations that operate a program across two or more provinces

Organizations with programs that operate in two or more provinces are considered national in scope and are eligible to submit a request for national Poppy Funds.

Organizations that are national in scope may apply through the Veteran Support Partnership Program. Submit your request to the Poppy & Remembrance Committee at info@legion.ca using the attached guidelines and application form.

• Guidelines: Requesting national funding
• Application Form: Request for national funding
• Agreement: Contribution agreement template
• Report: Final activity report form

Requests for national funding should be submitted at least three (3) months before the start date of the proposed project to allow for processing and notification of funding.

The Last Post Fund

The Last Post Fund delivers the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program. This program provides funeral, burial and grave marking benefits for eligible Canadian and Allied Veterans. Its mission is to ensure that all Veterans receive a dignified funeral and burial, as well as a military gravestone. 

The Last Post Fund also supports other initiatives designed to honour the memory of Canadian and Allied Veterans. It owns and manages the National Field of Honour, a military cemetery, and the Unmarked Grave Program provides military headstones and inscriptions for unmarked Veterans’ graves.

For information on the Last Post Fund or to initiate an application, please contact the Last Post Fund.

Contact:
Toll-free: 1-800-465-7113
info@lastpost.ca

The National Military Cemetery

Another option available to Veterans is interment in the National Military Cemetery in Ottawa. One immediate family member can be interred in the same plot.

Contact:
Toll-free: 1-800-883-6094 or 1-866-990-9530
Consult this link

The Royal Canadian Legion’s Veterans Services Network works on behalf of Veterans to ensure they receive the benefits they deserve. We offer assistance and information on sometimes-complicated processes. 

The Legion’s Veterans Services Network consists of volunteer Branch Service Officers and Professional Command Service Officers who provide assistance at all stages of the disability claim process, free of charge, whether or not you are a Legion member.  

Legion Branch Service Officers are the eyes and ears of the Veterans Services Network at the grass roots level, who often first come into contact with Veterans and their families. Branch Service Officers assist Veterans by identifying those with unmet health needs and possible benefits from VAC and then by making appropriate referrals to Command Service Officers.  

The Legion’s Professional Command Service Officers assist at the provincial and national level providing, among other things: 

• Information and advice on available VAC programs and benefits
• Assistance with the preparation and submission of disability claims 
• Assistance with the claims process from the first application up to and including a Request for Reconsideration with the Veterans Review and Appeal Board
• Professional advice and assistance in accessing other programs and benefits

The services provided by Professional Command Legion Service Officers are free of charge, whether or not you are a Legion member. Our representation role is mandated through legislation.

The Legion also assists and represents still serving Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP members, and their families.

Request assistance

Please contact a Legion Professional Command Service Officer for information on benefits and resources you may be eligible for, or to request assistance with Veterans Affairs Canada disability claim or appeals process.

Professional Command Service Officers are mandated by legislation to provide representation at all levels of the disability claim process under the Pension Act or the Veterans Well-being Act. The privacy and confidentiality of Veterans and their families are of utmost importance to the Legion.  

Client Confidentiality 

To authorize access to confidential client information, the Veteran or their designate will be required to complete and submit a Claim Application Form, with one piece of proof of identity (current and valid), to a Command Service Officer.

Royal Canadian Legion Claim Application Form

Accepted proof of Identity: Provincial driver’s license; Provincial Health Care Card (excluding Alberta and Manitoba); other provincial identification card; other federal identification card; Certificate of Indian Status; birth certificate; marriage certificate; employee identification card (federal, provincial or municipal); Canadian passport

Photocopied documents must be attached to applications sent by mail. Photocopied documents do not need to be certified. Ensure appropriate service number is on photocopied documents.

A Service Officer can assist you

Command Service Officers are trained, knowledgeable and focused on helping you. 

If you, a friend or family member needs assistance with VAC:

Phone: 613-591-3335
Toll-free: 1-877-534-4666
veteransservices@legion.ca

Assistance through the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman

The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman works to ensure that Veterans and their families are treated fairly and have access to the programs and services that contribute to their wellbeing. 

If you are a serving CAF member, RCMP member, Veteran, family member or representative and you feel you have been treated unfairly by Veterans Affairs Canada, or you would like information about programs and services that may help, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is here to help. Learn more