3. Results - Canadian Forces Housing Agency Annual Report 2020-2021
3.1 Sustaining core operations in a pandemic
In response to the arrival of the COVID-19 epidemic in March 2020, CFHA had to quickly adapt its core operations. It found ways to continue delivering critical services while managing the uncertainties and unknowns that defined the earlier days of the global pandemic. Decisions were made promptly, and resources were identified to allow CFHA employees to be equipped with adequate equipment and Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) to allow them to work from home. Office telephone lines were re-routed, and additional virtual communication tools were acquired to be better able to provide remote and contactless services.
Results full text
6,184 calls to EAHRS
1,853 service calls
2.23% less calls to EAHRS than last year
As the federal and provincial governments declared various degrees of public health measures (PHM) and lockdowns, the Agency expanded its communication with occupants to inform them of fluid changes regarding housing service delivery, of expected PHMs within DND housing and residential communities, and of the impacts these would have on the overall housing program.
CFHA’s RHUs became more than just homes for its occupants. They became workplaces for many, and for families with children they also became classrooms. For many they became both, as workplaces and schools across the country closed their doors for “normal business.” Through it all, CFHA leaned heavily on one of its core values – agility. Directives and restrictions on home-based businesses were communicated by email, on the web and through social media. CFHA’s Emergency After-Hours Response Service (EAHRS) always provided occupants with assistance day and night, supplementing site capacity at many bases across the country.
Service request queries (SRQs) 2020-2021 full text
| 1 to 3 months | 1 to 6 months | 12 months | |
| 2020-2021 | 523 | 1044 | 2381 |
| 2019-2020 | 482 | 1033 | 2409 |
The CAF’s Active Posting Season (APS) came quickly on the heels of the pandemic. In response, CFHA completely modified its change of occupancy processes and procedures to provide remote contactless services. These were applied for unit selections, as well as move-in and move-out activities. To reduce COVID-19 transmission, CFHA temporarily enabled debit and credit machines to allow for the payment of rents and damages fees by telephone.
Move in and move out full text
Additional functionalities were enabled in CFHA’s Portfolio Explorer application, a web-based database that ties DND’s asset information with mapping tools that allows the generation of visual imagery to show RHU condition information, floor plans and photos, as well as the housing sites’ proximity to community amenities. Easy access to this information was useful for HSCs to provide contactless housing services to current, potential, and new occupants. It also was very helpful in support of decision- making in the selection of the RHUs that were to be part of planned maintenance or renovation projects.
The pandemic provided the Agency with numerous opportunities to move forward with the planned modernization of its services. Specifically, CFHA’s Occupant Portal initiative advanced significantly in 2020- 2021, a project intended to realize online solutions for occupants from submitting applications for an RHU to updating household information and submitting repair requests.
Additionally, in response to customer feedback collected before COVID-19, CFHA took advantage of the conditions set by the pandemic to successfully replace the paper-based Welcome Kit that it provided to new occupants upon move-in with a newly created Digital Welcome Kit (DWK).
The Agency initiated a questionnaire protocol for screening and triage to assist with prioritizing required interventions while minimizing physical interactions, in accordance with public health direction to ensure the health and safety of employees, CAF members and their families.
Timeliness report
Customers satisfaction level
| Survey Category | Very | Somewhat | Not very | Not at all |
| Arrived on time | 14,614 | 959 | 122 | 77 |
| Cleaned up | 14,911 | 1,316 | 141 | 88 |
| Timeliness of repair completion | 14,813 | 1,376 | 217 | 106 |
| Quality of repair | 14,760 | 1,461 | 156 | 66 |
| Service | 14,908 | 1,405 | 152 | 66 |
| Grand Total | 74,006 | 6,517 | 788 | 403 |
91% of occupants are very or somewhat satisfied with the services received from a contractor.
70% of occupants reported the contractors were punctual for minor repairs.
Work Order verification survey data
Contractor's arrival time
| Month | Early | On-time | Late |
| April | 820 | 259 | 604 |
| May | 1,089 | 365 | 713 |
| June | 1,580 | 524 | 1,036 |
| July | 688 | 149 | 163 |
| August | 532 | 186 | 136 |
| Grand total | 4,709 | 1,483 | 2,652 |
Note: The Contractor Timeliness Report and the Work Order (WO) Verification Survey Report are tools to assist with monitoring contractor performance and allow each site to identify and address timeliness or performance issues early. It also provides information and insights for sites to prioritize appropriately for the work to be completed, which in turn assists in managing customer expectations. For each Work Order conducted in RHUs, surveys of occupants are conducted by the Customer Service Representatives as part of the WO verification process. The survey data provides an analysis of occupant satisfaction with contractor services and allows site staff to easily identify issues that should be addressed.
3.2 Housing portfolio
3.2.1 Investment in the housing portfolio
The pandemic affected the delivery of CFHA’s projects as its investment program had to undergo some process changes in 2020-2021. Using GC and DND direction, the Agency developed new program guidance in collaboration with Defence Construction Canada (DCC) that enabled projects to proceed while still respecting PHM and minimizing contact between Defence Team employees, occupants, and contractors. CFHA’s operational activities, including repair, planned maintenance, and asset improvement projects, were identified as essential services for bases across the country.
Projects in CFHA investment program were triaged to reprioritize asset interventions that could be completed on either vacant units or on the exterior of occupied units, thereby reducing the need to manage the risks of delivering projects inside occupied units. This shift in focus allowed the Agency to continue to progress on improving its portfolio by adjusting its project prioritization criteria to account for the new challenges brought on by the pandemic.
| Investments in the housing portfolio | Amount | |
| RHU | recapitalization/renovation | $36.4M |
| RHU | maintenance and repairs | $34.3M |
| RHU | lifecycle (replacement of major components that are at or near the end of their useful life) |
$37.9M |
| RHU | new builds | $3.3M |
| RHU | demolitions | $1.1M |
3.2.2 Condition assessment
CFHA reports results on the performance of the Military Family Housing Program in the Departmental Results Framework (DRF). This year’s report highlighted that 83% of DND’s housing portfolio was in “average” condition or better, with the Agency implementing extensive routine life cycle replacement projects for housing components deemed to be at the end of their useful life.
The Agency continues to use Condition Assessment (CA) data at both the Head Office and the HSC Offices to support its planning activities and inform its decisions on portfolio management direction, investment priorities, and funding allocations toward its real property programs. The CA reporting program provides core performance metrics used by the Agency in reporting in the DRF. This year, CFHA amended its reporting cycle to better align with the departmental corporate reporting.
Condition assessment of the housing portfolio
Condition assessment of the housing portfolio full text
1.7% new or like new
7.3% above average
74% average
17% below average
3.2.3 Feature projects
Borden:
The HSC Borden completed the construction of two new apartment buildings, each featuring six two-bedroom apartments. The 800 square foot RHUs offer a modern, open concept layout. As per the Defence Energy and Environment Strategy (DEES), special attention was given to energy efficiency in developing this project. For example, each unit is equipped with occupancy sensors and individual controls to reduce the energy consumption. The complexes also include tankless water heaters and maximum flow rate plumbing to reduce water consumption. These efforts were recognized with a 3 Globes rating certification from Green Globes.
- Investment of $4M
- Completed in September 2020
Trenton:
CFHA built over 400 meters of community fencing in 8 Wing Trenton. The resulting fences achieved multiple goals. They improved the safety of the occupants and provided a sound barrier to allow for a reduction in noise from passing traffic by physically separating RHUs from a busy street within the site. They also allowed occupants from to benefit from some added privacy.
- Investment of $118,500 for the fence project
- Completed in October 2020
Cold Lake:
While public health and safety protocols put in place at the beginning of the pandemic imposed significant restrictions to in the delivery of housing-related projects, HSC Cold Lake was still able to implement several to improve the condition of their 703 RHUs for their occupants. The team was able to focus efforts outdoors through the installation of new concrete patio pads, the implementation of complete exterior retrofits and the construction of garden sheds. Most notably, HSC Cold Lake managed to renovate seven bungalow-style units, providing these 30-year-old units with new amenities, including new furnaces and hot water tanks.
- 75 concrete pads/patios
- 58 garden sheds installed
- 7 bungalow-style units renovated
- 100 new furnaces/ hot water tanks
3.3 Customer service
3.3.1 Support to Canadian Armed Forces members
Every year, annual shelter charges are adjusted to keep pace with local rental market changes. Currently, any increases or reductions are based on the Consumer Price Index, and changes come into effect April 1. In 2020-2021, the declaration of the global pandemic came with a significant amount of uncertainty. To reduce the stress and insecurity related to what the pandemic might mean for the CAF community, CFHA sought special authorization from DND’s senior leadership to defer the shelter charges increases that were planned go into effect on April 1, 2020. This had the effect of eliminating some of the rising pressures and uncertainties CFHA’s occupants were facing and allowed CAF members to focus their energies on responding to other pandemic-related challenges.
3.3.2 Improving the occupant experience
CFHA continued to find new ways to be there for CAF members and their families living in RHUs. The Agency took advantage of the conditions set by the pandemic and improved the occupant experience by leveraging technology to modernize and digitize some of its services.
The CAF significantly adjusted the roll-out of its 2020 APS in response to the numerous travel restrictions and varying protective health measures across the country. Many changes were made to individuals’ posting dates, creating unprecedented relocation challenges for CAF members. The CFHA customer service representatives worked tirelessly to accommodate the ever-changing needs and relocation timings of CAF members, working to coordinate and optimize the move-ins and move-outs to ensure that the maximum number of CAF members and their family’s needs could be met under volatile and challenging circumstances that define the pandemic environment.
“I will be leaving CFHA housing in Ottawa on the 1st of August 2020. Thank you for all the great support over the years, we leave with nothing but fond memories and the utmost appreciation for all you have done for us.”
~CAF Member, occupant in Ottawa
“I’d like to add my sincere gratitude at the high level of customer service exhibited by our CFHA representative. Strong leadership is found by far more than just the military and his professionalism and calm demeanor allowed for a very easy interaction, as well as quick and easy conclusion.”
~CAF Member, occupant in Esquimalt
Service Request Queries full text
Decrease of 7.25% of SRQs between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021
3.3.3 Mobile workplace pilot
A Mobile Workplace pilot project was successfully implemented at several sites across Canada leading into 2020-2021. In light of procurement challenges in April 2020 which delayed the delivery of tablets to select HSCs, CFHA staff remained committed to advancing the project and the momentum continued with the focus of the pilot shifting to gaining critical insight through user feedback and developing lessons learned from those sites where the capability had already been deployed. The data gathered will be used to improve the eventual deployment of the new technology to the remaining sites in addition to providing valuable ongoing communications from CFHA’s frontline staff on how to continuously improve its operations and enhance the occupant experience.
3.4 Procurement modernization
3.4.1 New and renewed standing offers
CFHA amended its national contracting approach for undertaking maintenance and repair services as well as its minor improvement work to improve service delivery and realize workflow efficiencies. Trade specific Standing Offers (SOs) were replaced with General Contractor SOs in multiple locations, thereby reducing their numbers from 230 to 35. Reducing the number of SOs simplifies the administration of the program, making contract management and the quality control process easier. It allows for increased engagement with contractors to improve efficiency and addresses occupant service requests in a timelier fashion. In addition to the significantly lower number of SOs at play, results have also pointed to better collaboration between sites and contractors as well as a reduction in contract administration.
3.4.2 Indigenous procurement
In 2020, the Speech from the Throne declared the government’s commitment on “going further on economic empowerment for specific communities and increasing diversity on procurement.” To that end, and to generate more opportunities for Indigenous businesses to succeed and grow, a new target to have at least 5% of federal contracts awarded to businesses managed and led by Indigenous Peoples was identified.
In September 2020, CFHA announced its commitment to:
- Work with Indigenous and private sector partners and other federal departments to improve capacity of Indigenous businesses to compete for Agency contracts;
- Increase the contribution of businesses contracted by the Agency employing Indigenous Peoples; and
- Support Indigenous businesses with the means to participate in economic opportunities.
CFHA identified voluntary set-asides under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) as its primary mechanism to deliver on this commitment. Regionally, a total of eight projects were set-aside, six of which resulted in a successful award. There were also two additional contracts awarded under PSAB by CFHA Head Office. The Agency awarded contracts valued at $1.6M, which represented 5% of the overall program value.
CFHA also participated with DCC in industry outreach sessions. The Agency was a major partner in this initiative, presenting the CFHA program overview to Indigenous business representatives across the country. Throughout various sessions, a significant and valuable contribution to increasing awareness of DND/CFHA’s program and demonstrating commitment to the GC’s direction and intent was accomplished.
3.5 Environmental stewardship
In keeping with CFHA’s commitment to the GC’s greening government priorities, the Agency continued to apply improved energy efficiency standards to all new construction and renovation projects. In 2020, CFHA received two Green Globes certifications for energy efficiency on two new six-unit apartment buildings.
Additionally, upgrades to RHU components and systems are prioritized to ensure increased energy efficiency, reduced energy costs and increased comfort for the occupants. These measures enable CFHA to align with departmental targets that contribute to key environmental and energy improvements outlined in the DEES as well as the Greening Government Strategy’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
As part of the DEES Target 6 which focuses on DND commercial light-duty vehicles moving towards having zero-emissions, CFHA replaced 11 vehicles in its commercial fleet with low and/or zero-emission options (hybrid) in support of its day-to-day operations. CFHA has also continued to deliver all new construction and whole-house renovation projects using Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) program to verify that capital investments in its portfolio reduces overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, to meet DEES Target 5 (develop net-zero carbon ready designs for two residential building archetypes by 2023), the Agency has been working with an architectural consultant to begin preparing preliminary designs for multi-unit residential buildings with the intent of having net-zero carbon ready designs for the construction of six- and 12-unit apartment buildings. Integrating net-zero designs into the CFHA portfolio will improve the housing portfolio’s energy efficiency and help ensure military families have comfortable, contemporary homes with lower monthly utility costs.
CFHA renewed its commitment to a partnership project with NRCan to assess the energy performance of its existing housing portfolio and develop retrofit packages that can be applied not only to DND’s existing RHUs, but also to similar privately-owned homes Canada-wide. This partnership will assist NRCan’s efforts to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for other housing built in the post-war era, extending further alignment with GC’s Greening Government Strategy objectives.
CFHA is committed to providing safe and healthy homes to CAF members and their families. In 2019, Health Canada lowered its federal guideline detailing the acceptable threshold for lead in drinking water, a guideline which sets the maximum acceptable concentration for total lead present in tap water. In response, the Agency worked closely with the Directorate Architecture and Engineering Support (DAES), the Force Health Protection (FHP) and the Real Property Operations Group (RP Ops) to reinforce its testing of drinking water for lead at all its housing sites. While very few RHUs tested above the new guideline, those that did underwent interventions to remediate the problem, and retested with results below guideline. A well-developed communications plan and coordination with the departmental subject matter experts contributed to the success of this responsive program.
3.6 Workforce
As the world tried to find its way in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, CAF members and their families counted on CFHA employees to continue the provision of essential services. CFHA worked tirelessly to identify and prioritize staffing requests to ensure that critical positions were staffed, and that essential operations were maintained. In 2020/21, the Agency completed 202 staffing actions, which represents an increase of 38% from the average of the previous 5 years. CFHA also was able to hire 23 students, three of which were bridged into indeterminate positions within the organization.
3.6.1 Health and safety
The health and safety of CFHA employees and CAF members remained the highest priority of the Agency. Within a short period of time after the global pandemic was recognized, improved safety measures such as mandating physical distancing, providing equipment to allow the workforce to implement personal protective measures (PPM), and ensuring increased cleaning and sanitization. In HSCs and at Head Office, protective barriers were installed to separate visitors from employees. Directional and regulatory signage was also put in place to reinforce PPMs. As the Agency eventually moved forward with the activation of its Business Resumption Plan, CFHA’s General Safety Officer performed virtual inspection visits to better enable the HSCs to return to providing in-person services in the safest environment possible. At the same time, the Agency released its Onboarding Roadmap for the Resumption of Activities following COVID-19 Pandemic to support and guide managers and employees alike through the myriad of conflicting rules and direction provided by various levels of government and throughout all DND’s base commands.
As the dynamics of the workplace in a pandemic environment evolved, CFHA continued to use and promote all available tools and platforms to encourage employees to stay connected and supported. The Agency’s senior leadership was sure to keep focus on the mental health, wellbeing and wellness of its workforce. CFHA worked tirelessly to coordinate efforts between management, employees, sites’ safety representatives, union representatives to provide a safe and healthy workplace for all.
3.6.2 Enabling our employees
In the face of the multiple challenges encountered at the beginning of the pandemic, CFHA’s IM/IT support proved to be resilient. CFHA initially had very limited network access as it navigated through business continuity activities. The CFHA IM/IT team worked quickly and efficiently to assess the situation, establish priorities for ordering, imaging, and shipping various devices across the country to enable remote work and resume operations as quickly as possible.
This rapid shift in work posture displayed CFHA’s agility and flexibility by finding ways to adapt to change while continuing to deliver core housing services. The Agency adjusted from its traditional office-based service delivery model to a more modernized telework service delivery framework. CFHA undertook an Agency-wide analysis of its sudden telework requirement and updated the Agency workspace standards to provide employees with greater flexibility in how and where to do their work. CFHA enabled its deployed operational workforce to continue to deliver housing management services from a variety of workspace solutions.
Enabling our employees full text
- Deployed laptops, tablets and peripherals.
- Embraced and promoted digital processing through expanding the use of PKI- based digital signatures and electronic document processing.
- Supported Agency-wide implementation and adoption of DND’s D365 video conferencing and cloud-based services solutions.
- Forged new local partnerships to enable continuity of key remote services and activities where travel was not possible.
3.7 Creating a workplace of choice
CFHA strove to remain an employer of choice throughout the pandemic. Following the success of the Agency’s attainment of Excellence Canada’s Platinum level certification in November 2019, senior leadership was able to capitalize on its organizational strengths to help guide decisions and shape direction during a very tumultuous year. Having the proper plans and procedures in place, a strong organizational culture of excellence and an engaged workforce at all levels, permitted CFHA to adjust its customer service program and continue to meet its mandate during the variable postures taken in response to the pandemic.
3.7.1 Corporate social responsibility
The military community remains at the heart of CFHA’s mandate. The Agency actively supported several of DND’s socially oriented campaigns such as the GC Workplace Charitable Campaign / National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign, Support Our Troops, Soldier On, and many other local initiatives. CFHA encouraged its employees to volunteer in their communities by organizing and actively participating in events contributing to initiatives such as supporting local food banks, families in need or other charities and community groups. Examples of CFHA giving back to
the communities it supports includes HSC Edmonton provision of gifts to the Base Padre as part of the Base’s CAF members’ support programs, and HO employees sponsoring a family in need as part of the National Capital Region annual Holiday Hamper.
Notably in 2020-2021, CFHA contributed to ADM(IE)’s partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion’s “Operation: Leave the Streets Behind,” an outreach program that supports homeless veterans by providing them with sleeping mats made of recycled milk bags. A contingent of dedicated volunteer within the Agency took the initiative to promote the cause and collected roughly 800 empty milk bags as well as 65 already prepared mats from colleagues, family, friends, and from the broader community. By the end of 2020, nearly 150,000 milk bags had been collected – diverting waste from landfills, reusing materials, and supporting those in need.
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