A leaked report circulating within Canada’s defence community reveals that a higher number of military recruits are struggling to pass basic training following changes made to increase enrollment. The internal evaluation report, dated Jan. 27, shows a drop in the success rate to 77 percent in 2025, down from 85 percent the previous year.
Defence officials have confirmed the authenticity of the report by Lt.-Col. Marc Kieley, commandant of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS) in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. Despite recently surpassing recruitment targets and experiencing modest growth in the Armed Forces, the report highlights concerns raised by Kieley.
The report points out an increase in mental health conditions among new recruits, primarily anxiety, and notes cultural issues affecting the training process. The proportion of candidates requiring multiple attempts to complete basic training has risen to 14.89 percent, significantly higher than the previous year’s 8.44 percent.
In recent years, the federal government has relaxed policies related to pre-existing medical conditions and aptitude tests to boost military recruitment. Additionally, the Defence Department has expanded recruitment to include more foreign nationals and permanent residents.
Kieley’s report emphasizes that the current basic training model assumes an 85 percent success rate for candidates to become military personnel, with most needing only one training course. However, the increase in failures has caused “significant friction” within the training school.
The report also highlights challenges with permanent resident recruits, with some units experiencing high failure rates due to cultural adjustments and issues like racism and infighting. Kieley recommends closer monitoring of candidates with pre-existing medical conditions and mental health concerns to address these challenges effectively.