Updated DND living accommodations policies took effect December 1, 2024

January 27, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 3:00

By Capt Meg Baxter, Military Personnel Public Affairs

Updated Department of National Defence (DND) living accommodations regulations and policies took effect on December 1, 2024, affecting occupants living in both DND residential housing units (RHUs) and furnished quarters across Canada. Read on to uncover what these policy changes could mean for you.

In 2015, at the recommendation of the Office of the Auditor General, DND committed to conducting and implementing a comprehensive review of its living accommodations policy suite. As a result, updated Queen's Regulations & Orders (QR&Os), Departmental Administrative Orders and Directives (DAODs), and the DND Living Accommodations Instruction came into force on December 1, 2024.

The DND living accommodations regulatory update includes the removal of provincial rent-control as a factor in the shelter charge adjustment calculation for the fiscal year 2025-2026. This update enables the CAF to be in compliance with federal government policies ensuring that DND residential housing shelter charges are fairer and more equitable amongst all CAF members occupying RHUs across Canada. Every year, the Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) is mandated to review the shelter charges for their RHUs and adjust them according to guidance provided by the Treasury Board. This could mean that RHU occupants in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia — the provinces where rent-control was previously factored into DND's crown housing shelter charge adjustments — could see a greater increase to their monthly shelter charges than in previous years. Protections will remain in place however, that cap the annual increase to the shelter charge at no more than $100 per month in addition to the overall limits on shelter charges to no more than 25% of the occupant's combined gross household income.

Affordability and availability of housing is a concern for all Canadians. Military members share the same concern, which can be compounded when they are required to relocate for service reasons. While National Defence's residential housing currently serves less than 20 percent of the CAF population, changes to the priorities for RHUs will ensure that newer members to the CAF, along with members moved at public expense for training and members requiring special consideration due to the unique nature of the military lifestyle will be prioritized. As a pillar of the Department's effort to preserve affordability of crown housing, it is important to highlight the protections will remain in place for shelter charges that must not exceed 25% of the occupant's combined gross household income. In addition, there will be a limit to the annual adjustment of the monthly shelter charge for occupants to no more than the limit set out in the Treasury Board guidelines, currently $100. Other updates now include modernized, more inclusive and neutral terminology referencing family or marital status, mitigating the potential for discrimination in housing allocation.

Comprehensive and coherent living accommodations policies enable the CAF to support its members and their households, who deserve to enjoy the same quality of life as other Canadians whether they choose to live on base or in the local municipalities where they are called upon to serve. DND is committed to making more housing options available to eligible CAF members at any location where duty demands in Canada.

If you have questions about the changes to the DND living accommodations regulations and policies, contact your unit Orderly Room for clarification.