The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans organization) founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of members and also affiliated members. It was founded in 1925 as the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Services League and was incorporated by Parliament in 1926. In 1962, Queen Elizabeth II gave the Legion the right to affix the word "Royal" to its name. The Queen of Canada, is royal patron of the Legion; the Governor General of Canada is also traditionally appointed as a patron of the group.

Historically the Legion Hall was the social centre of many Canadian towns. This was especially the case in the provinces with severe restrictions on the sale of alcohol, rules from which the legions were generally exempt.