Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Canada
Canada: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) was 3.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Military expenditure in Canada, 1988–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of general government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Canada stood at 3.7%.
The figure is up 20.8% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Canada peaked at 4.3% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2013.
That places Canada 126th out of 164 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of general government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 4.3% | — |
| 1989 | 4.2% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 3.6% | -9.6% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | -5.8% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -6.1% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -12.6% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -8.2% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | +13.4% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | +14.3% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | +11.8% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | +20.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 3.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.8%, 77% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 2.5% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More public sector data for Canada
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 83.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.61 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 96.05 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Canada?
- Military expenditure in Canada was 3.7% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 1988.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2013.
- How does Canada rank for military expenditure?
- Canada ranks 126th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure