Poppy campaign kicks off in Brampton, Legion brings digital tap donations back for another year

Veterans, community members and Brampton City Councillors gathered in Ken Whillans Square in Brampton on Friday for a flag raising to signal the official start of the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2023 Poppy Campaign.

The annual fundraiser ahead of Remembrance Day sees nearly $20 million in donations every year to help veterans and their families, with funds donated locally staying in the community and going to support local initiatives.

Along with the traditional poppy donation boxes at locations across Brampton, the Legion will also have debit and credit tap-enabled “Pay Tribute” donation boxes at many Legion branches, HSBC branches and select retail locations.

“This is a special time for the Legion and for all Canadians,” said Bruce Julian, Dominion President in a release. “While we remember our fallen veterans year-round, this is when the whole country is focused on our collective gratitude for their sacrifices.”

The Legion is also bringing back its interactive Poppy Stories program this year with a focus on Canada’s peacekeepers, telling short personal stories about Canadian veterans by scanning a lapel poppy with a smartphone.

“This year, 50 new faces have been added and all of them were peacekeepers, with 2023 marking the 75th anniversary of the first United Nations peacekeeping mission,” the Legion says.

In Brampton, the city will honour local veterans with its Veterans Banner Program, which is moving to the walls outside of City Hall near Ken Whillans Square due to ongoing construction downtown with a new banner featuring 119 Brampton veterans.

The city will also have a Remembrance Day with a parade and service alongside Royal Canadian Legions Branch 15 and 609 on Nov. 11, as well as  a candlelight service at Veteran Square in Gage Park on Nov. 5.

Here is the city’s list of events to honour veterans throughout the month of November:

Today, Mayor @PatrickBrownOnt, Members of Council, Veterans and the community gathered in Ken Whillans Square for a flag raising to mark the start of the Annual Poppy Campaign. Funds raised from the campaign will directly support Canada's serving and retired veterans and their… pic.twitter.com/vjdxIq6yjs

— City of Brampton (@CityBrampton) October 27, 2023