Veterans License Plates

[mariomike]

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-vac/what-we-do/mandate

Definition of a Veteran
Any former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who successfully underwent basic training and is honourably discharged.

If interested in obtaining a Veteran's licence plate,

BC - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed basic training
AB - honourably discharged only (must be MOC qual)
SK - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years Reg or 1095 paid Res days
MB - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years
ON - honourably discharged; currently serving
QC - honourably discharged; currently serving
NB - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years
NS - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years
NF - honourably discharged; currently serving
PEI - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years
YK - honourably discharged only (must be MOC qual)
NT - honourably discharged; currently serving having completed 3 years
NU - does not currently issue veteran plates

 

[Kilted]

I know that that might be the legal requirements for the plates. However, I think that the common practice is that you don't get them unless you have been on tour. In fact I've never seen a serving member without a tour with them. I actually think that a serving member without a tour who got them would face significant backlash from their peers, maybe even to the point of taking them off.

 

[blacktriangle]

I know that that might be the legal requirements for the plates. However, I think that the common practice is that you don't get them unless you have been on tour. In fact I've never seen a serving member without a tour with them. I actually think that a serving member without a tower who got them would face significant backlash from their peers, maybe even to the point of taking them off.

Is this at a PRes unit? What if the member was a SAR Tech?

Also, there are plenty of folks with multiple tours who don't have veteran plates and simply prefer to fly under the radar.

 

[Kilted]

Is this at a PRes unit? What if the member was a SAR Tech?

Also, there are plenty of folks with multiple tours who don't have veteran plates and simply prefer to fly under the radar.

It's been my experience of whoever I have run into. I never said that everyone with a tour had one.

 

[mariomike]

I actually think that a serving member without a tower who got them would face significant backlash from their peers, maybe even to the point of taking them off.

Maybe less backlash for non-serving veterans ( BMQ + discharge = veteran's licence plate ) ?

For further discussion, see also,

Veterans License Plates 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/18176.100
5 pages.

 

[brihard]

Might be worth a thread split?

 

[Quirky]

Also, there are plenty of folks with multiple tours who don't have veteran plates and simply prefer to fly under the radar.

Don't veteran plates give you free parking in some areas or is that a myth? I prefer not to have any plates or element/unit sticks on my vehicle that identifies me as a current or former member. All it takes is some idiot to see that and cause thousands of dollars of paint work. Majority of the people I’ve seen with veteran plates like attention and need any ego boost they can get.

 

[Ralph]

Don't veteran plates give you free parking in some areas or is that a myth? I prefer not to have any plates or element/unit sticks on my vehicle that identifies me as a current or former member. All it takes is some idiot to see that and cause thousands of dollars of paint work. Majority of the people I’ve seen with veteran plates like attention and need any ego boost they can get.

If the "some areas" were "Carling Campus", I might entertain the idea...

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Don't veteran plates give you free parking in some areas or is that a myth? I prefer not to have any plates or element/unit sticks on my vehicle that identifies me as a current or former member. All it takes is some idiot to see that and cause thousands of dollars of paint work. Majority of the people I’ve seen with veteran plates like attention and need any ego boost they can get.

No, it is not a myth, and I am quite confident in saying the majority of those with Vet plates haven’t chosen to get one because of the reasons you listed.

I have an Ontario vet plate. At the time, I chose to get one simply because it prominently displayed the poppy. I also wanted something that would reflect the sentimental value and pride I’ve attached to my time serving, since also at the time, I wasn’t sure if I’d be in much longer due to my then medical status.

I’ve never gone on a tour, and I don’t know if I ever will. I’d definitely like to. But to date I’ve had a rather unconventional, for lack of a better word, CAF career. (Some here know the full extent of my background.)

I will never consider my experience equal to those who have served for decades, been on multiple tours, or were directly involved in combat. But I decided to join because I wanted to offer whatever abilities/skills and time I could. I’ve been separated from my loved ones for months, I’ve had to put my service before myself on several occasions, I’ve missed important personal events, I’ve given everything I was capable of giving at the time to my job and I’ll continue to do so. Many are in my position, or similar, and their service is important also.

Many have very differing opinions about what constitutes a “veteran” and where plates are concerned. I came across this and I think it explains the poster’s sentiments well.

...As for plates, it's a small honour I think anyone who has honourably served and sacrificed for their country deserves. Many of us have spent countless months away from our spouses and children on exercises, courses, taskings, and deployments. We've lived on the other side of the country from our extended families, missed our own children's births and birthdays, we've missed anniversaries, funerals, weddings, and more in the service of Canada.

That isn't to belittle those who've served in combat, or witnessed the atrocities of foreign conflicts, they deserve to be recognized more than anyone. That said, I don't think Veteran's Plates should be exclusive to that select group of Veteran's; although, I firmly believe they deserve to be honoured above the rest of us.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Personally, I would never have considered getting the Veteran's plate while still serving, not even during my ten years on the supplementary reserve list. But now that the government has authorized me to call myself officially retired, I have no problem considering myself a Vet.

In Quebec, we have a new plate, developed in the last few years, that is actually very nice and stands out. I got it not out of ego, but because it is nice and I thought it a good way to remind people who haven't served that those of us who did live amongst them every day.

But, unexpectedly, it has had the effect of letting me connect with vets from the Vandoos, 5th field ambulance, 12th Armoured Regiment and Allouettes squadron that I didn't even know lived in or around my own little town (we are about  10,000 only in the small grouping of towns where I live). I found out that it cuts both ways.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Re Free parking for veterans licence plates.

In looking for some examples came across these

Calgary https://www.calgaryparking.com/findparking/veteransparking  (you don't necessarily need veterans plates)

From 2012, a general review of municipalities that provided free parking for veterans https://canadianparking.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/municipalities-parking-for-veterans/

Vancouver, a story from November 2019 about proposal to have veterans free parking in place for this coming Remembrance Day https://globalnews.ca/news/6224572/vancovuer-free-veterans-parking/

Hamilton, a story from 2015 to remind folks that it's not only on the net that you'll find idiots who want to differentiate between "true" veterans and others who don't match their preconceptions.  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/headlines/only-true-veterans-should-get-free-parking-ferguson-1.3147071

 

[mariomike]

It may - or may not - get the driver some "professional courtesy" at a traffic stop.
Or, avoid the stop altogether.

As far as free parking is concerned, I never felt the need for a veteran's plate, but "placard abuse" is a whole other story in North American cities.

As well as licence plates, from what I have seen locally, some are almost ( purposely? ) unreadable.

 

[lenaitch]

One town and one city near me allow free parking for veteran plate where parking is permitted.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Also, there are plenty of folks with multiple tours who don't have veteran plates and simply prefer to fly under the radar.

I guess I fit that category (multiple tours), but when I first looked into it after AStan, I discovered that my service would have to be verified by the Legion - you know, that place where 80% of the leadership and almost as much of the membership have never served a day. 

So no.

My car and my motorcycle both wear Regimental identifiers.  That works for me.

 

[Good2Golf]

I have a support the troops sticker, but no vet plates. If anything (in Ontario) I had considered the ‘CF’ (Canadian Flag) plate while I was still serving, but now I stick with the crappy, bubbling/peeling ‘B-series‘ Ontario plate as a reminder of the McGuinty-Wynne era...

 

[Furniture]

I guess I fit that category (multiple tours), but when I first looked into it after AStan, I discovered that my service would have to be verified by the Legion - you know, that place where 80% of the leadership and almost as much of the membership have never served a day. 

So no.

My car and my motorcycle both wear Regimental identifiers.  That works for me.

The Legion connection is a big part of why I've never bothered with "Veterans" plates. I'll likely pick up one of the cool BC Parks plates when I find myself back on on the left coast.

 

[X Royal]

Funny thing about the Legion is when they have Stolen Valour case amongst their members they claim they don't have access to military records but get paid to verify people as veterans for license plates. :

 

[brihard]

Funny thing about the Legion is when they have Stolen Valour case amongst their members they claim they don't have access to military records but get paid to verify people as veterans for license plates. :

The Ontario application form for the veterans plate requires the applicant to provide a photocopy of a document/piece of ID proving eligible service.

CAF/VAC cannot provide personal information to a third party without either the person’s consent, or some statutory/judicial authority. So no, the Legion cannot simply get service records when they suspect someone is not on the up and up.

 

[X Royal]

The Ontario application form for the veterans plate requires the applicant to provide a photocopy of a document/piece of ID proving eligible service.

CAF/VAC cannot provide personal information to a third party without either the person’s consent, or some statutory/judicial authority. So no, the Legion cannot simply get service records when they suspect someone is not on the up and up.

My point exactly.
They can't do anything to verify anything so why involve them?
Same "photocopy of a document/piece of ID proving eligible service" could be provided directly to the Ministry of Transportation by the veteran.

 

[brihard]

My point exactly.
They can't do anything to verify anything so why involve them?
Same "photocopy of a document/piece of ID proving eligible service" could be provided directly to the Ministry of Transportation by the veteran.

I’m speculating, but probably because without RCL advocating for vet plates to be a thing, and taking on that part of the responsibility, the provincial ministries of transportations wouldn’t give a rat’s ass or bother to offer the vets plates at all.

The Legion gets five bucks for the minor administrative role. It’s not like they’re making any profit off of this.

But anyway- if the RCL’s involvement is enough to turn you off of it, that’s your choice and I respect it even if I don’t feel the same.