Recourse for Relocation Issues

The Canadian Armed Forces Relocation Directive (CAFRD) outlines the policies and procedures governing the relocation of CAF members, their dependents and the members [(D)HG&E]. This includes matters such as entitlements, benefits, and responsibilities involving relocation expenses and support services.

Your posting message will indicate the section of the directive that is applicable to your circumstances. Learn more by taking the following five measures:

1. Familiarize yourself with the CAFRD.

• Take time to become familiar with the policy, especially Section 2.2 Responsibilities. This section describes the responsibilities of everyone who is involved in your move, including you.

2. Contact your Brookfield Global Relocation Services (BGRS) consultant.

• Once you have been assigned an authorized relocation file and have registered with BGRS, contact your BGRS consultant. They should be able to answer your questions about the CAFRD.
• Write a summary of the relocation issues for which you require further information. Be sure to include the timeline, the decisions taken and by whom as well as the steps you have pursued to date.
• Be clear about what you want and what type of move you are completing (Unaccompanied, IPR, OUTCAN, HHT after COS, etc.) as this affects the benefits available.
• Request a policy reference for any answer BGRS provides to better understand what your entitlement is. This will be useful should you need to escalate your request to the next level.
• Ensure that you have uploaded all the forms and documents to the BGRS member secure website. Keep in mind that a money advance is not a claim. You must submit a claim to justify all advances received.

3. Contact in writing your CAF Relocation Coordinator. (Contact information for coordinators is available only on the National Defence network.)

• If your BGRS consultant denies your request or is unable to answer your questions, write to your relocation coordinator. Be sure to inform your coordinator about the measures you have taken to date and all the related correspondence.
• Should your coordinator be unable to help, the coordinator may submit a file review request for adjudication to the Director Compensation and Benefits Administration (DCBA).

4. Make an adjudication request.

• Before making an adjudication request, you must demonstrate that you have requested reimbursement via BGRS. You must also show that your request has gone unanswered or has been denied.
• A request involves the submission of an electronic “request for adjudication” to the Director Compensation Benefits Administration (DCBA) through your local CAF relocation coordinator. You may do so based on at least one of the following three circumstances:
  • You have paid actual and reasonable expenses due to exceptional circumstances or demands that the CAFRD does not seem to cover.
  • You require DCBA authority to receive a CAFRD benefit.
  • You disagree with the application or the interpretation of the CAFRD by the contracted relocation service provider.
• Learn more by consulting CAFRD Section 1.3 Requests for DCBA review. A recourse checklist and adjudication request forms are included in the “Relocation Management” tab of the “Benefits - Generic” web page which is available only on the National Defence network.

5. After you receive your adjudication decision, if you are unsatisfied with DCBA’s decision, you can submit a grievance. Refer to our CAF grievances page for more information.

If you have a disagreement with BGRS, you may seek resolution by submitting a request to the Director Relocation Business Management (DRBM). For example, your submission may include a request to:

• determine the documentation requirements to support your reimbursement of benefits;
• approve reimbursement or recovery of all or part of the expenses reasonably incurred that are related to your relocation as defined in the CAFRD; and
• approve the provision of a taxable benefit such as a HEA, REI, TA/RL1, or a reserve relocation allowance.

For more information, contact DRBM at DRBMCAFRP-DGARPRFAC@forces.gc.ca.

Compensation and Benefits Instructions (CBI) Chapter 208 describe the relocation policy for all other members who are being relocated under provisions involving “prohibited” moves and untrained members. Your posting message will indicate if this relocation directive applies to you.

Your CAF Orderly Room (OR) support staff at the unit level, rather than the BGRS, handles relocations under Section 8 of CBI 208. If your relocation involves Section 8, you should follow the following steps:

1. Familiarize yourself with Section 8 of CBI 208.
2. Direct any questions you have to your OR support staff. They can also assist you with the base/wing furniture and effects section.
3. If your OR support staff cannot answer your questions, you may submit them by way of the support staff to the Administrative Response Centre (ARC).
4. You may request an adjudication if you are not satisfied with the answer provided by the OR support staff or the ARC. To do this, submit an electronic “request for adjudication” to the Director Compensation Benefits Administration (DCBA). You will find the recourse checklist and adjudication request forms to assist you at the “Relocation Management” tab of the “Benefits - Generic” web page which is available only on the National Defence network.
5. Should the DCBA’s adjudication decision prove to be unsatisfactory, you may submit a grievance via the digital grievance submission. Consult our CAF grievances page for more information.

Children’s Education Management (CEM) supports military families like yours by offering educational services to children at the request of CAF members in Canada and abroad.

If you are unsatisfied with a CEM decision and you have new information that supports your initial request, submit your written request for review along with any new supporting documents to your Education Clerk. The Clerk will forward your review request to the appropriate approval authority.

If you are unsatisfied with an education service decision made by the CEM or another approval authority and you do not have any new information or documents to provide, you may submit a redress of grievances through your commanding officer. For more information, consult our webpage on Redress of Grievance.

Approval levels

The Commanding Officer of your Unit Record Support (URS) may approve the following:

• family reunion travel,
• school transportation that is included in total school fees,
• schools on the Post Ceiling List,
• education travel,
• shipment of personal effects,
• fifty hours of second language tutoring based on three price quotes, and
• escort travel.

Children Education Management may approve the following:

• family reunion travel involving a child who is not in school and CEM trip pre-approval,
• family reunion travel involving a third location,
• post-secondary shelter assistance,
• school transportation that a school does not provide under FSD 30.7,
• boarding and lodging,
• secondary education (i.e. Grades 9 to12) away from post or in Canada,
• distance learning, and
• all other benefits defined in the FSDs that require the Deputy Head’s approval.

If compelling reasons such as time sensitivity, health, security, financial concerns, or other barriers prevent you from addressing your concerns through regular channels, you or any member of your family can contact our office. With your written permission, we can ensure that all relevant parties know about your circumstances. We do not have the power to change decisions. However, we can make recommendations if we believe that you were treated unfairly within the process.