Ottawa — At 110 years old, Burdett (Burd) Sisler of Ontario has become Canada’s oldest living person and its oldest surviving war veteran, representing a rapidly disappearing generation of Canadians who served in the Second World War.
Sisler, a decorated veteran who served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the war, now lives in Fort Erie, Ontario. His remarkable longevity was acknowledged in the Ontario legislature last week, where Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates paid tribute to him, calling him “a truly incredible and special person.”
“I have been extremely privileged to call Burd a friend,” Gates said. “He is the oldest living Canadian veteran of the Second World War and is believed to be the sixth oldest living veteran of that war in the world.”
Born in 1915, Sisler dedicated decades of his life to public service following his military career, spending 30 years with the Canada Border Services Agency and raising a large family that now includes five children, 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) said that while it cannot independently verify Sisler’s status due to privacy restrictions, it is likely that he holds the distinction as Canada’s oldest living veteran given his confirmed status as the country’s oldest person.
“It is important to remember our veterans on Remembrance Day because veterans want Canadians to understand the price of freedom,” said VAC spokesperson Josh Bueckert. “They are passing the torch to the people of Canada, so the memory of their sacrifices will continue, and the values they fought for will live on in all of us.”
According to Veterans Affairs Canada, the number of surviving veterans from the Second World War and Korean War continues to decline sharply. As of 2025, there are an estimated 3,691 living Second World War veterans — including 667 women and 3,024 men — and 1,909 surviving Korean War veterans, of whom 207 are women and 1,702 are men.
In total, Canada’s veteran population is now estimated at 444,077, consisting of 73,559 women and 370,518 men who have served in various branches of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Sisler’s milestone, achieved just days before Remembrance Day, stands as both a personal triumph and a poignant reminder of a fading era. With the last Canadian First World War veteran, John Babcock, having passed away in 2010 at the age of 109, Sisler’s life embodies the legacy of those who fought to defend freedom and peace.