Military spending in Canada
Canada: Military spending was 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
37.53 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 22.6%
World rank
16th
of 162 countries
All-time high
37.53 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
All-time low
4.37 billion constant 2024 US$
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Military spending in Canada, 1950–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in Canada is 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.6% on the previous year and up 73.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Canada peaked at 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.37 billion constant 2024 US$, in 1950.
That places Canada 16th out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Military spending in Canada, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1951 | 8.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | +102.6% |
| 1952 | 14.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | +60.7% |
| 1953 | 16.32 billion constant 2024 US$ | +14.7% |
| 1954 | 15.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.0% |
| 1955 | 15.03 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.0% |
| 1956 | 15.34 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 14.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1958 | 13.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.9% |
| 1959 | 12.77 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.4% |
| 1960 | 12.48 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.2% |
| 1961 | 12.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 13.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 12.64 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1964 | 12.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 11.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.3% |
| 1966 | 11.70 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 12.44 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.3% |
| 1968 | 12.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 11.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1970 | 11.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 11.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 11.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 11.78 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 12.35 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 13.12 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 13.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 13.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 14.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 14.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 14.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 14.62 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 15.89 billion constant 2024 US$ | +8.7% |
| 1983 | 17.32 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 18.46 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 19.00 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 19.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 19.78 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 20.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 19.99 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 19.97 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 18.44 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.6% |
| 1992 | 18.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 18.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 17.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 16.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.7% |
| 1996 | 15.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | -8.2% |
| 1997 | 14.30 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 14.79 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 15.43 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 15.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 15.58 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 15.66 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 15.95 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 16.55 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 17.28 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 18.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 19.72 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.0% |
| 2008 | 21.25 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 22.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 20.07 billion constant 2024 US$ | -9.7% |
| 2011 | 20.75 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 19.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 18.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 20.44 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.1% |
| 2015 | 21.63 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 21.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 25.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | +18.1% |
| 2018 | 24.64 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 24.39 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 26.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.6% |
| 2021 | 25.69 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 25.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 29.15 billion constant 2024 US$ | +14.8% |
| 2024 | 30.62 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ | +22.6% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.82 billion constant 2024 US$, 5.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +102.6% | 4.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | 8.85 billion constant 2024 US$ |
| 1952 | +60.7% | 8.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | 14.22 billion constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | 16.32 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.34 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | 13.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | 14.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | 14.62 billion constant 2024 US$ | 20.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.97 billion constant 2024 US$ | 14.30 billion constant 2024 US$ | 19.97 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.75 billion constant 2024 US$ | 15.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | 22.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.61 billion constant 2024 US$ | 18.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | 25.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | 25.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 13 Israel 43.66 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 14 Poland 42.53 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 15 Spain 37.69 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 17 Australia 35.26 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 18 United Arab Emirates 27.81 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 19 Netherlands 27.00 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Canada?
- Military spending in Canada was 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 37.53 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.37 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1950.
- How does Canada rank for military spending?
- Canada ranks 16th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.