Ontario Command 2024 Fact Sheet

THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION ONTARIO COMMAND FACT SHEET 2024
(For Fiscal Year 2022-2023)

The following Facts are gathered from a Branch Survey conducted for the Fiscal Year of 2022-2023. Please note that due to the Covid-19 Pandemic Lock Downs and Restrictions, Ontario Command Branches could not operate under normal conditions and were slow to bounce back after all restrictions were lifted. The below facts show that our Branches and Members continue to strongly support their Veterans and Communities!

The Legion at work in Ontario:
- There were 389 Branches, with a total membership of 100,000 strong as of December 2024 (92.5% of Ontario Command Branches responded to this survey)

- Total Poppy Donations received for 2023 were $9,520,305.65. Statements throughout this Fact Sheet reflect where these funds were disbursed by Branches to support Veterans, their dependents and greater community

- Funds spent on Veterans Programs for 2023 totaled over $3.5 million

- Branches and Ladies’ Auxiliaries continue to support the Homeless Veterans Program - "Operation: Leave the Streets Behind". As of December 2024, over $3 million has been disbursed from the Ontario Command Homeless Veterans Fund and over $100,000.00 from our Ladies’ Auxiliary. As of this date 1242 Veterans have been assisted (of which 139 were female Veterans and 73 families) in 207 communities

- For the year 2023 Grants from Poppy funds, to the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Service League in the Caribbean totaled $89,500.00

- Provide funding for Provincial Service Bureaus, for Provincial Service Officers to assist, all Veterans

– Currently Serving and Ex-Service Personnel, with pension applications, benefit concerns, on an ongoing basis - free of charge

- Ontario Command is very proud to support "Operation Service Dog"! In collaboration with Wounded Warriors Canada this program has, and will continue, to drastically improve the lives of many Veterans! Since the beginning of this partnership in 2018, Ontario Command Branches and Ladies’ Auxiliaries have donated $2.2 million to this program.

- Branches and Ladies’ Auxiliary members continue to support Veterans in hospitals by supplying comforts and entertainment to enhance their quality of life

- Money Spent on Medical Equipment and Research totaled over $600,000.00

- Not including funds spent on Veterans, over $532,200.00 was used for Seniors’ Programs - Ontario Provincial Command Branches and Ladies’ Auxiliaries Charitable Foundation approved $671,322.00 to Ontario communities in 2023. Since its inception in 1979, donations approved amounted to over $19,613,835.52 to various Hospitals, Hospices, Health Clinics, Homes for the Aged, Fire Departments and Charities in communities throughout Ontario.

- Through our Bursary program in the 2023-2024 academic year a total of 353 applications were awarded to students in need for post-secondary education in the total amount of $441,250.00 in the Province of Ontario with the generous donations from the Ontario Command Legion Branches and the Ladies’ Auxiliaries of Ontario Command. Since the academic year of 2002-2003 to 2023-2024 our Bursary program has made a total of 13,634 awards totaling $7,715,075.00.

- Additional Bursaries from Branch Poppy Trust funds were awarded in the amount of $634,350.00 - Sponsors and facilitates low rental housing for senior citizens - Continued to support accessibility for Veterans, their families and the Communities in excess of $543,800

- Continued to support Scouts Canada, Guides Canada, Army/Air/Sea/Navy Cadets, Canadian Junior Rangers and other Youth Programs in excess of $1.6 million - Other donations to local charities amount to over $2 million, not from Poppy Trust Funds

- Donations to local Community Projects totaled over $1.4 million - Ontario Command Branch Members annually put in over 400,500 volunteer hours

- In 2023 Ontario Command Branches had over 6157 volunteer staff and employed over 1141 full time and part-time staff - Ontario Command Branches offered their facilities free of charge to community groups for over 21,600 occasions in 2023

For further information please visit the Ontario Provincial Command Website at www.on.legion.ca
Fact Sheet Updated as of December 2024