Canadian Armed Forces Allowance Increase

June 2, 2017 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members will receive a compounded increase of 5.1% to allowances, including all Environmental Allowances and some Special Allowances.  All CAF members eligible for these allowances will be paid these new rates along with a lump sum back-payment starting June 30, 2017. This covers retroactive increases starting April 1, 2014 calculated as four 1.25% increases effective April 1 for the past four fiscal years: 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018.

CAF Allowances

CAF members are paid allowances based on entitlements, detailed in the Compensation and Benefits Instructions for the Canadian Forces (CBI). Allowances provide financial compensation to CAF members, whose military duties involve sporadic or continuous exposure to adverse environmental conditions, including hazards which other members do not usually experience. The allowances are intended to serve as an incentive to attract and keep personnel properly motivated under such conditions.

Allowance Increase

On June 30, 2017, CAF members will start receiving the new rate for their entitled allowance and a lump sum back-payment retroactive to April 1, 2014. Former members who left the CAF after March 31, 2014 will also receive a lump sum payment. These increases align with tentative salary increases for employees of the Federal Public Service.

The CAF Environmental Allowances (Paratroop; Rescue Specialist; Aircrew; Land Duty; Sea Duty; Diving; Hypobaric Chamber; Submarine; Exceptional Hazard; and Special Operations), and Special Allowances (Special Operations Assaulter; Submarine Crewing; Stress Allowance for Test Participants; and the Special Allowance Canadian Forces Station Alert) are increased by 1.25% each year for the following four fiscal years: 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018.

The twenty-three allowances that are increasing are listed below with two tables that detail the increases at a monthly or daily rate. Generally speaking, to be eligible for a monthly allowance, a CAF member must be posted to a designated position and meet other conditions. To be eligible for a casual allowance, a CAF member does not need to occupy a designated position but still meet some conditions. The twenty-three allowances are the following (refer to the applicable CBI for detailed instructions on eligibility criteria):

1. Paratroop Allowance – perform parachute jumping on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.30)
2. Casual Paratroop Allowance – perform parachute jumping on an occasional basis. (CBI 205.305)
3. Rescue Specialist Allowance – perform rescue specialist duties on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.31)
4. Aircrew Allowance – be employed in a flying position and exposed to aircrew conditions on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.32)
5. Casual Aircrew Allowance – perform a duty in an airborne aircraft other than as a paratrooper or passenger on an occasional basis. (CBI 205.325)
6. Land Duty Allowance – be posted to a field unit exposed to environmental conditions on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.33)
7. Casual Land Duty Allowance – be exposed to field conditions on an occasional basis for a period greater than 24 hours. (CBI 205.335)
8. Diving Allowance – perform diving duties as a ship's diver, combat diver, clearance diver, or clearance diving officer on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.34)
9. Casual Diving Allowance – perform diving duties as a ship's diver, combat diver, clearance diver, or clearance diving officer on a casual basis. (CBI 205.345)
10. Sea Duty Allowance – perform duties on a ship or vessel on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.35)
11. Casual Sea Duty Allowance – perform duties on a ship or vessel on a casual basis. (CBI 205.355)
12. Hypobaric Chamber Allowance – instruct or observe inside a hypobaric chamber as a qualified aeromedical training officer or technician. (CBI 205.36)
13. Submarine Allowance – perform duties on a submarine on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.37)
14. Casual Submarine Allowance – perform duties on a submarine on a casual basis. (CBI 205.375)
15. Exceptional Hazard Allowance – be ordered to dispose of: a known or suspected explosive chemical, improvised explosive device, primed charge or extremely hazardous commercial explosive or chemical. (CBI 205.38)
16. Special Operations Allowance – support special operations on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.385)
17. Casual Special Operations Allowance – support special operations on a casual basis. (CBI 205.385(14), (15))
18. Special Operations Assaulter Allowance – perform assaulter duties for special operations on a continuous basis. (CBI 205.401)
19. Casual Special Operations Assaulter Allowance – perform assaulter operations and training of assaulters when ordered or instructed on a casual basis. (CBI 205.401(4.1), (4.2))
20. Submarine Crewing Allowance – crew or are on readiness-to-crew submarines. (CBI 205.41)
21. Stress Allowance for Test Participants – participate in physiological, psychological or other tests authorized by or under the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) where exposure to abnormal discomfort is anticipated. (CBI 205.48)
22. Special Allowance Canadian Forces Station Alert – be attached posted to the isolated post Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert. (CBI 11, Section 3)

Related Products

• News Release – Canadian Armed Forces Pay and Allowance Increase
• Backgrounder – Canadian Armed Forces Pay Increase

Associated Links

• Compensation and Benefits Instructions for the Canadian Forces (CBI) chapter 205
• Know Your Benefits Webpage
• Pay Rates
• Pay Overview
• #PeopleFirst

Contacts

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Toll-Free: 1-866-377-0811
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca