Poppy Campaign 2026 in Canada Runs Oct. 24 to Nov. 11, a Fixed Period From This Year

The Royal Canadian Legion’s National Poppy Campaign is under way today, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, and runs from Saturday, Oct. 24, to Wednesday, Nov. 11, according to the Legion’s National Poppy Campaign page, last updated Oct. 20, 2026. From today, 13 days remain until the campaign ends on Remembrance Day.

This is the first year of a new rule. The Legion’s page says: “Beginning in 2026, the National Poppy Campaign will run annually October 24–November 11.” The printable timeline attached to this story keeps the key dates on one page.

When does the poppy campaign run in 2026?

The Legion says its Dominion Executive Council “has approved a standardized annual period for the National Poppy Campaign.” From 2026 the campaign runs each year from Oct. 24 through Nov. 11. The Legion gives its reason: the consistent period “will ensure Branches have enough time to carry out a successful campaign and will provide greater certainty for Branches, partners and the public.” The same rule appears on a second Legion page titled “National Poppy Campaign dates changing.”

Date in 2026	What happens	Source
Sat., Oct. 24	National Poppy Campaign starts	Royal Canadian Legion
Sun., Nov. 8	Indigenous Veterans Day in Canada	Veterans Affairs Canada
Wed., Nov. 11	Remembrance Day; campaign ends	Royal Canadian Legion

Counting both end dates, the 2026 campaign spans 19 days. Veterans Affairs Canada’s Veterans’ Week page says “November 8 is Indigenous Veterans Day” and “On November 11, our job is to remember.” It also says: “Wear a poppy.” The official 2026 dates for Veterans’ Week were not confirmed on that page, so we do not list them.

Why do some guides say the last Friday of October?

Many guides and older Legion pages still describe a start on the last Friday of October. That is out of date. Under the old last-Friday pattern, the 2026 campaign would have started on Friday, Oct. 30, which is tomorrow. The fixed period moved the start up to Saturday, Oct. 24.

The fixed dates also mean the weekdays shift from year to year. We computed them for the next five years:

Year	Campaign starts (Oct. 24)	Campaign ends (Nov. 11)	Last Friday of October (old pattern)
2026	Saturday	Wednesday	Oct. 30
2027	Sunday	Thursday	Oct. 29
2028	Tuesday	Saturday	Oct. 27
2029	Wednesday	Sunday	Oct. 26
2030	Thursday	Monday	Oct. 25

The weekdays come from the calendar for each year, applied to the Legion’s fixed Oct. 24 and Nov. 11 dates. The last column is the date the old last-Friday pattern would have given.

What is the UK poppy appeal date?

The Royal British Legion runs its own Poppy Appeal in the United Kingdom (UK). Its Poppy Appeal 2026 page lists a national launch on Oct. 22, which has passed, and a March Past the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Nov. 8. That is Remembrance Sunday, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. Our Remembrance Day 2026 story has the Canadian province-by-province holiday table and the UK service details.

When is the National Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa?

The 2026 start time is not yet announced. Last year, the Governor General of Canada’s page, dated Nov. 10, 2025, listed the ceremony for Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. Treat that as the 2025 time only. We do not name a 2026 Silver Cross Mother because none has been announced.

How should a poppy be worn?

The Legion’s public poppy guidance page was unavailable when we checked on Oct. 29, so this story does not give wearing, removal or disposal rules or say what donations fund. Check legion.ca or ask your local Legion branch for its guidance.

Where does this fit in November?

Remembrance Day falls on the same date as Veterans Day in the United States. If you are planning around payments this month, see our Canada benefit payment dates for November and December 2026. Mark the dates on the October 2026 printable calendar and the November 2026 printable calendar.