Housing and Physical Environment

The domain of housing considers the physical structure of the home as well as the social and physical environment in which it is situated. The physical structure of the house includes the state of its repair, accessibility, safe drinking water, etc. The social dimensions of housing include housing security, and one’s sense of belonging and safety. The environment surrounding a home considers proximity of services such as schools, recreation areas, health care, and shopping.

Inadequate housing can lead to poor health outcomes. Precarious housing or homelessness is always a risk during your post-service life and can be caused by individual circumstances as well as system failures.

In the built environment, factors related to housing, indoor air quality, and the design of communities and transportation systems can significantly influence our physical and psychological well-being.

When a transitioning member has found a safe, comfortable, and affordable accommodation, they will be in a place from which they can build on other elements of well-being. A secure address is important to secure new work, or to focus on health and family time.

The most important aspect of this domain of well-being is to be living in safe, adequate and affordable housing.

Some things to consider

Are you satisfied that we have access to an appropriate range of housing options and are not being forced into an uncomfortable situation?
Are you confident that you will be able to find and afford adequate, appropriate and safe housing?
In your budget, do the costs related to housing seem reasonable and manageable?
Do you know about and are you applying for support for home modifications, home support services, housekeeping assistance and grounds maintenance assistance (if required)? For additional information on these benefits, call or visit your local TC.
In considering the cost of civilian housing, have you factored in changing mortgage or interest rates, local government taxes, utility costs and maintenance costs (including capital replacement such as furnaces, roofing, etc.)?
Have you developed criteria to help us select a location to live after release?

Finding a Home

Upon release from the CAF, many families will be considering their next place of residence. For a number of families, securing housing will not be an issue, as they already live in civilian accommodation. Some do not intend to move, having already set down roots in their community. However, other families may decide to change their residence, either because they have to vacate the Personal Married Quarters (PMQ) or they wish to move closer to home or to specific services.

Whether a family decides to buy or rent, housing constitutes the most significant expense in the household. The financial assessment and planning process will be instrumental in helping families determine their options in moving to a new place of residence.

In selecting a new place of residence after release, families should be considering the following questions:

In which area would I/we like to spend our next years?
Would I/we be comfortable living in that neighborhood?
Do I/we know anybody (acquaintances, friends, family) in that community?
Are the services that my family and I need available, and are they offered in our preferred language?
Do I/we have the support network that would provide us with assistance in the event of an emergency? If so, create a list.
Have I discussed these considerations with my spouse/partner?
To rent or to buy, which would be most advantageous for me/us? And why?
Would the new place of residence meet my/our medical care needs?
Moving to a city or to the country: what are the pros? Make a list.
Would my spouse/partner and I be able to find work?
Have I/we checked the credentials of our real estate agent?
Am I/Are we buying, only to sell after few years? If yes, what are the reasons? Is the reason worth the purchase?
Have I/we discussed what features we want in our next home? If yes, list them.
Based on our financial situation, could I/we afford to live comfortably in this new home?
Would this home meet our children’s needs? If so, how?
Are there good reasons to want to live in this community? If yes, list them.

The following form has been designed to help families organize their search for a new home.

Canadian Forces Integrated Relocation Program

The CAF is committed to improving the relocation experience for you and your family and will continue to work with Brookfield Global Relocation Services (BGRS) to improve the service delivery model while concurrently modernizing our relocation benefits packages. BGRS provides supports services to CAF members and their families, primarily via interactive online services, that includes professional advice, information and assistance during the relocation, with the aim of presenting every reasonable opportunity to maximize the available provisions of the Canadian Forces Integrated Relocation Services (CFIRP).

The CFIRP is the Treasury Board approved relocation directive for CAF members. It includes provisions for the move of a member and their families, and Household Goods and Effects (HG&E). The program provides a professional and flexible approach according to your and family situation. The intent of the CFIRP is to facilitate door to door moves by ensuring fair and reasonable reimbursement of necessary relocation expenses.

Additional to their websites. BGRS and CFIRP provides helpful tools to help you to plan, organize and coordinate your relocation:

Intended Place of Residence

Intended place of residence (IPR) means the place at which one of the following persons intends to reside after the release of an officer or NCM:

Former officer or NCM;
Dependant of the officer or NCM, if the officer or NCM is deceased; or
Dependant of the former officer or NCM, if the former officer or NCM is deceased.

Local Move

Local move means a relocation of 40 kilometres or less, measured using the shortest normal route available to the public, from a person’s current residence to their IPR.

No payment shall be made to an eligible person in relation to an officer or NCM for relocation expenses incurred in respect of a local move.

A payment of up to $10,000, taxes included, may be made to the eligible person for relocation expenses incurred in respect of a local move if the officer or NCM is released and is required as a result of their release to vacate family housing, single quarters or a quarter designated as an official quarter, or any other accommodation under the administration of the MDN or another Minister of the Crown.

A payment may be made to the eligible person for relocation expenses incurred in respect of a local move if the officer or NCM is released under Item 3 (Medical) of the table to article 15.01.

The CDS personally — or the CMPC personally — may authorize that a payment to the eligible person for relocation expenses incurred in respect of a local move if they determine that there are compassionate reasons that are particularly compelling and that involve:

An illness of or injury to the former officer or NCM or their dependant; or
An unusual, undeserved or disproportionate hardship for the eligible person that is beyond the eligible person’s control.

Time Limit

No payment shall be made to an eligible person in relation to an officer or NCM for relocation expenses that are incurred more than two years after.

In respect of an officer or NCM who is a member of the Reg F, the day on which they are released; and
In respect of an officer NCM who is a member of the Res F:
- In the case of an officer or NCM who is transferred from the Reg F to the Res F under a CT to Res F, the day on which they are transferred, and
- In any other case, the day on which they are released.

Director General Compensation and Benefits (DGCB) or the Director Compensation and Benefits Administration (DCBA) may grant an extension of the time limit for a period of up to one year – beginning on the day after the day on which that time limit ends – if they determine that any of the following circumstances prevent the eligible person from moving to the IPR within that time limit:

An illness of or injury to the former officer or NCM or their dependant;
The vocational rehabilitation or vocational training undertaken by the former officer or NCM;
The completion of an educational program by the former officer or NCM or their dependant; or
Any other circumstance that delays the move to the IPR and that is beyond the control of the eligible person.

The CDS personally – or the CMPC personally – may grant an extension of the period for a period of up to three years if they determine that there are particularly compelling reasons that prevent the eligible person from moving to the IPR within that period and that relate to:

An illness of or injury to the former officer or NCM or their dependant, confirmed by a medical doctor; or
An unusual, undeserved or disproportionate hardship for the eligible person that is beyond the eligible person’s control.

An extension shall be granted only if the eligible person submits his or her request for an extension to the CDS or the CMPC before the end of the period granted under DGCB or DCBA.

If, before the end of the time of two year, a former officer or NCM of the Reg F re-enrolls in the Reg F or commences class “B” or “C” service in the Res F, that time limit is extended by the number of days of service in the Reg F or the Res F performed on and after the day of re-enrolment or commencement.

Intended Place of Residence Elections

A CAF member elects an IPR location in writing by completing the CAF form issued for that purpose.

A CAF members may claim the entitlements in this chapter if they have both:

Elected an IPR location; and
Commenced their move to their IPR.

Benefits

The benefits are generally the same of main and general entitlements for a typical move within Canada, except for these entitlements which have limitations or enhancements:

House Hunting Trip (HHT) / Destination Inspection Trip (DIT);
Occupancy requirement for purchase of replacement residence;
Home Equity Assistance (HEA);
Interest on Home Relocation Loan; and
Local relocations – maximum entitlement.

Criteria table

The following table depicts the IPR location, based on the period of continuous Regular Force service and the release item.

Criteria #1 Period of continuous Regular Force service	Criteria #2 Release Item	IPR location
Less than 10 years.	2 – Unsatisfactory service. 4(a) – On request – When entitled to an immediate annuity. 4(b) – On request – On completion of a fixed period of service; and 5 – Service completed.	Place of enrolment (or any other place provided that the cost does not exceed the move to the place of enrolment).
Less than 10 years.	3 – Medical.	Any location in accordance with this chapter.
10 or more years.	Release items as above.
20 or more years.	·4(c) – On request – Other causes.

TO DO LIST

To be living in safe, adequate and affordable housing, the following considerations are proposed as they could help you to go through a seamless transition.

7-12 Month before your date of release

Decide where you will be living after release.
Search for other community-based organizations such as schools, daycare, preschool, sport, art group, etc.

1-6 Month before your date of release

Arrange your final move.
- Arrange IPR: My Last CAF Move, if applicable;
- Identify location for Long Term Storage of Household Goods and Effects; and
- Set up or arrange rental accommodation if not purchasing.

Within 1 Month of your date of release

Ensure your contact information is current.
Request an occupancy extension, if necessary.
Engage with BGRS for last move benefits, if applicable.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-25