Remains of soldier killed in CFB Wainwright fire to be flown to Vancouver

A memorial is laid at the entrance of CFB Wainwright for four Canadian Armed Forces members, from left, Pte. Aidan Goulding, Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, Pte. Shaun Farrell and Sgt. Morgan Wong, who died in a fire during a training exercise at the base, in Wainwright, Alta., on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The remains of a soldier who was killed during a training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta last month will be flown home to Vancouver.

Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, died when a devastating grass fire swept the military base on Oct. 17, killing four and sending dozens more to hospital.

An Air Canada flight carrying his remains from Calgary is expected to arrive in Vancouver shortly before 12:45 p.m. Wednesday.

A police motorcade will escort Goulding’s casket from Vancouver International Airport to Kearney Funeral Services in New Westminster, a military spokesperson said.

Goulding, who was from North Vancouver, served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

His family described him as an exceptional athlete who worked as a mechanic after high school before deciding to join the Canadian Army.

“Although he was making excellent money and had a good life, he decided he wanted to defend his country,” his mother, Sonia Monk, and older brother, Wylder Goulding, said in a statement provided to The Canadian Press.

“He was the guy that kept people’s spirits up, a contagious laugh and a cheeky smile, he took his role in the army seriously, and our family and his dear friends have suffered a great loss.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney paid tribute to Goulding in the House of Commons last month, saying he “met every hardship with a joke, and when others struggled, he shouldered more than his share without ever being asked.”

His family said Goulding loved the military and was looking forward to a deployment to Latvia.

A funeral service is planned for Nov. 8 at the Seaforth Armoury in Vancouver.

With files from The Canadian Press