4 May 2026 - Ottawa, ON - Veterans Affairs Canada
Today, the Government of Canada broke ground on the future site of the National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan.
This monument will honour the service, sacrifice and enduring legacy of the more than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members, as well as hundreds of civilians and government officials who supported the mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, Canada's longest combat deployment.
The mission claimed the lives of 158 Canadian Armed Forces members, a diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor and a journalist. Thousands more continue to experience enduring physical and psychological injuries.
The ceremony marked an important next phase in the project, bringing together Veterans, Families, Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP personnel, Ministers and parliamentarians, youth and community members.
Located in Lebreton Flats, near the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, the Monument will recognize the contributions of those who served in Afghanistan and those who supported them. The design, developed by Team Stimson, reflects themes of healing inspired by the Medicine Wheel. It takes the form of a circular, sacred space, a "home base", intended for reflection, remembrance and contemplation. Four bronze flak jackets, draped on crosses, form portals around a central space. The names of the fallen as inscribed on the walls of three quadrants, while the fourth quadrant, oriented towards Afghanistan, is dedicated to the Afghan people.
The Monument is expected to be completed in late 2028, after which it will be formally unveiled to the public.
