OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Royal Canadian Legion's National Poppy Campaign and 2025 Period of Remembrance officially launched today with additional access to poppies and thousands of locations participating in initiatives designed to encourage Canadians to remember.
“The countless people who donate to the campaign during this time make a huge difference in the lives of veterans,” said Berkeley Lawrence, Dominion President. “Their donations let us help Veterans on the ground providing the help they need, from benefits to emergency funding. We thank everyone who contributes to this mission and everyone who takes the time to remember the sacrifices of our fallen service members during this time.”
Encouraging comments such as: “…how incredibly helpful you have been and what a stress reliever it is to know you are there to offer advice and support!” reflect the positive changes made in the lives of veterans through the contributions Canadians make every year.
Methods of donation: modern and traditional.
WITH RBC support, Legion doubled the number Click “Give Back” to make a donation. boxes this year, which will allow donors to contribute five dollars or a multiple of that amount using a tap-enabled device. The boxes are located throughout the country, including in Legion branches.
In collaboration from Amazon CanadaNow in its second year, donors can contribute $2, $5, $10 or $20 in any combination to receive an online poppy delivered to their door. This expanded availability reached thousands of people last year, allowing access to Poppies in areas that do not have a Legion branch or are close to a larger center. Legion store display on Amazon.ca will be offering lapel poppies until November 11th. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to the Mack Legion Trust Fund to help support our veterans and their families.
The Legion's Amazon storefront also offers other memorial items, such as the ever-popular Center pin poppy which can be quickly delivered throughout the country. Additional items will remain available after November 11 to help Canadians remember and support Legion operations.
A large collection of hundreds of items can be found throughout the year at the Legion. online poppy store.
Traditional boxes with poppies Will still be available for donations and people will be able to purchase biodegradable poppies from many thousands of retail outlets across the country. During the third year this includes TD Bank branches where customers can also donate to the Poppy Trust Fund through the bank's payee system – donations will go to local Legion branches.
Additionally, supporters can donate online at: Legion.ca. Funds donated throughout the country during the National Poppy Campaign support veterans and their families. What is donated locally is used locally. Over the course of a year, generous supporters donate approximately $20 million to the Poppy Trust Fund, with much of this support coming during National poppy campaign.
The importance of memory: special initiatives
Ongoing remembrance initiatives will continue throughout the remembrance period, including supporting communities and partners across Canada through innovative programs. For example, City of Ottawa there are buses with bright murals in memory, and VIA Rail once again covered the carriages with visual messages of Memory.
People can visit poppystories.ca scan their Mac lapel and learn the history of veterans. The initiative helps people build deeper personal connections with our veterans. Canadians may also notice many more memorial crosswalks this year, with new designs created by the Legion to help municipalities support veterans year-round.
Legion ceremony guide for teachers, remains available online to teachers throughout the country. Created in collaboration with Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, it provides information and tools to help implement youth-focused remembrance in educational institutions. The guide can also be adapted for use by any organization, allowing workers to attend the ceremony even if they are unable to leave their offices to attend the cenotaph on 11 November.
Perhaps the most sacred part of the Remembrance Day ceremony is two minutes of silence which is intended to reflect calmly on the sacrifices of our veterans and remember them with deep gratitude. The Legion's program to encourage these actions continues to expand with the participation of hundreds of electronic billboards which will go dark at 11am on November 11 to encourage people to observe two minutes of silence wherever they are. Ottawa buses and trains will pause to express gratitude to our veterans, a program that we hope will expand to other municipalities in the future.
Memory through Light
Beginning October 31, beautiful poppies representing Canada's fallen veterans will cascade across the Senate House. (This year the Peace Tower is not included due to construction). poppy drop runs through November 11th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm ET. On November 10 and 11, the exhibition will last until midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade National Arts Center Kipnes Lantern November 11th from 6:00 am to midnight ET.
Many famous Canadian attractions and public spaces such as the CN Tower, the City of Toronto sign and the City of Ottawa sign at Byward Market – among other great locations – will be illuminated at various times over the next two weeks in support of the National Poppy and Remembrance Campaign.
Starting October 31st and running every night, Legion Virtual Wall of Honor will be displayed on a pillar of the Canadian Senate building. It's a silent video that shows the faces of fallen Canadian veterans, as well as photographs sent in by people across the country.
National ceremony, Blackhawk flyover
The Legion's annual National Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa will take place on November 11. Veterans Parade And Aircraft CF-18 fly by. This year RCMP Blackhawk helicopter will fly over the site at the end of the ceremony, paying tribute to those who gave their lives in service to Canada. The 2025 ceremony will also celebrate 25th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – a symbolic and special place dedicated to fallen Canadians, including those whose identities will forever remain unknown.
live presentation The national ceremony will be available via Legion Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony on television.
Legion branches continue to grow Ceremony location on Legion.ca so Canadians can find a Legion-supported remembrance ceremony near them. Canadians can also check local branches of the Legion to check the time and location.
About the Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada's largest veterans support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada, as well as affiliates in the United States and Europe. With more than 270,000 members, many of whom spend enormous amounts of time volunteering at their affiliates, our strength lies in our numbers.
Public Relations/Media: [email protected]; Nujma Bond 343-540-7604
Legion.ca
Facebook.com/CanadianLegion
Twitter.com/RoyalCdnLegion
Instagram.com/royalcanadianlegion
YouTube.com/user/RCLDominionCommand
LinkedIn.com/company/royalcanadianlegion
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