Emergency Responders Honor Fallen Soldier Pte. Aidan Goulding

Emergency Responders Honor Fallen Soldier Pte. Aidan Goulding

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Remains of North Vancouver Soldier Pte. Aidan Goulding Pass Through Richmond as Emergency Crews Salute

Wednesday afternoon brought a solemn procession to the main road leading from Vancouver International Airport, where a hearse carrying the remains of Pte. Aidan Goulding was met by a corridor of saluting emergency responders. Police officers, firefighters, BC Ambulance paramedics, and other emergency personnel from across the region stood along the route with their vehicle lights flashing as the North Vancouver soldier’s remains were escorted from YVR through Richmond to a funeral home in New Westminster, Richmond News reported.

Goulding, who had joined the Canadian military at the beginning of 2026, was killed on Saturday, Oct. 17, during a live-fire training exercise at Wainwright Canadian Forces Base outside Edmonton. His remains arrived at Vancouver International Airport around 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, beginning the final journey home nearly three weeks after his death in the training accident that also claimed three other soldiers.

The tribute along the airport road drew an extensive lineup of personnel. Richmond RCMP, Delta Police, BC Emergency Health Services, Richmond Fire-Rescue, YVR Fire-Rescue, Vancouver Police, Canada Border Services, RCMP K-9 units, and Vancouver Transit Police all positioned themselves along the main road to pay their respects. As the hearse passed each group, emergency personnel stood at attention and saluted, the flashing lights from their vehicles creating a moving tribute along the roadway.

Motorcade escorts Private Aidan Goulding’s remains from YVR to a New Westminster funeral home.

Four Service Members Killed in Wainwright Training Blaze

Goulding died alongside three other Canadian Armed Forces members when a fire ignited during the live-fire exercise known as Apollo Shooter on Oct. 17 and was spread rapidly by high winds across the training area at Wainwright CFB. The other soldiers killed were Sgt. Morgan Wong of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment in Edmonton, Alta., Pte. Shaun Farrell, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark. While Wong served with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, Goulding, Farrell, and Lykkemark were all members of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) based in Edmonton, Alta.

The training accident also left 39 other Canadian Armed Forces members injured when the fire swept through the exercise area. The Apollo Shooter exercise, designed to simulate combat conditions with live ammunition, became deadly when the fire broke out and high winds carried the flames across the training grounds faster than personnel could respond, marking a significant tragedy for the base and the units involved.

A Young Recruit’s Brief Service

Goulding was a recent recruit from North Vancouver, having joined the Canadian Armed Forces at the beginning of this year. He served with the 3rd Battalion PPCLI in Edmonton. In August, shortly after completing a training program, he posted on his Instagram account reflecting on the long days and the bonds formed during the experience.

“A lot of long days, tough moments and even better people,” Goulding wrote. “I’m grateful for everyone I had a chance to train alongside and the friendships that came from it. Proud of what we accomplished together.”

The post offered a glimpse of the camaraderie he found in the military during his first months of service. A parent whose son served in basic training with Goulding commented on Facebook, recalling that their son described Aidan as someone who “was never without a joke, and was solid positive vibes,” painting a picture of a young man who brought humor and positivity to those around him even during rigorous training.

Emergency Responders Honor Fallen Soldier Pte. Aidan Goulding

Community Honors a Fallen North Shore Soldier

For the North Vancouver community, the procession through Richmond on Wednesday served as a public acknowledgment of the loss of one of their own. The sight of emergency vehicles with flashing lights lining the main airport road created a moment of collective pause for a soldier who had signed up to serve his country less than a year before his death. The presence of K-9 units, border services officers, and transit police alongside traditional first responders reflected the breadth of respect for Goulding’s service.

The route from YVR, where the remains arrived at 12:40 p.m., through Richmond to New Westminster took the hearse past the very airport where many service members depart for deployments and from which they return, underscoring the reality that military service carries risks even during training exercises on Canadian soil. The high winds that spread the fire during the Apollo Shooter exercise at Wainwright on Oct. 17 turned a routine live-fire training scenario into a tragedy that claimed four lives and injured 39 others, leaving families, fellow soldiers, and communities like North Vancouver to grapple with the sudden loss of young service members who had volunteered to serve.

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