Changes to Benefits to Improve Working Conditions

July 13, 2021 - Defence Stories

The Treasury Board has approved changes to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) benefits that will improve the working conditions of CAF members, in line with direction set out in Canada’s Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.

Among the changes are the addition of a specialty (Emergency Medicine) to the list of those provided by Medical Specialist Officers, and amending the Recruitment Allowance to account for the new Medical Specialist Officer occupation. Other changes include:

• The maternity and parental allowance will align with changes to the Employment Insurance Act and the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan, including extended benefits and equal coverage for members residing in Quebec.
• Effective October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, the eligibility and application of the COVID-19 related exceptional hazard allowance has been expanded to provide financial compensation to members who are deployed on Operations LASER, VECTOR or GLOBE, and performing assigned duties at a Short Term Care Facility, Long Term Care Facility or an Improvised Care Facility, where a high risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists.
• A waiver of the requirement for Primary Reserve members to complete Basic Military Qualification or Basic Military Officer Qualification in order to be eligible for the Education Reimbursement – Primary Reserve Benefit has been approved for the period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022, due to a reduced training schedule during the pandemic.
• Service benefits for ill and injured CAF members have been amended to align with those provided by Veterans Affairs Canada, ensuring a smooth transition for these members upon their release. Among other changes, catastrophic impairment and service in Afghanistan are no longer criteria for entitlement to benefits.
• The Treasury Board has also approved the creation of a new Compensation and Benefits Instruction to allow for the reimbursement of individual professional fees when a certificate or licence is required. These occupations include Legal Officers; all medical positions; Refrigeration and Mechanical Systems Technicians; and Water, Fuels and Environment Technicians.

The new Compensation and Benefits Instructions 210.95 has been published, and can been found here. Questions may be directed to the Administrative Response Centre (ARC) at CMPARC.CRACPM@forces.gc.ca.