# 2025-223 Pay and Benefits, Education Reimbursement Policies

Case summary

F&R Date: 2026-06-30

The grievor grieved the discontinuation of the Ill & Injured (I&I) component of Self-Development Program (SDP) Education Expense Reimbursement (EER) (SDPEER) funding announced through Canadian Forces General Message 135/24[PM1.1], Canadian Armed Forces Self Development Program – Changes to Education Expense Reimbursement Program for Regular Force and Ill and Injured members. The grievor argued that he had already enrolled in a degree program and made financial commitments relying on the approval of his endorsed SDP. As redress, the grievor sought reinstatement of funding for his full degree.

The Commander Canadian Defence Academy, acting as the Initial Authority (IA), denied the grievance, finding that the I&I component was not authorized by Treasury Board (TB) under Compensation and Benefits Instructions for the Canadian Forces 210.80. As a result, future I&I funding requests were to be administered by the regular Regular Force (Reg F) EER program, requiring the same institutional, program, and level of study endorsement standards. The IA further found that the grievor's interpretation of SDP endorsement as assurance of multi-year funding for a full degree program was not supported by policy. The IA noted that the grievor could create a new Reg F program SDP and submit new course requests for funding through that program.

The Committee found that the grievor's opportunity to pursue education reimbursement through the SDPEER was not eliminated, but rather, continued under the Reg F EER program. The Committee found nothing improper in the elimination of the I&I component, which needed to be based on TB-authorized funding, of which none existed for this separate stream. Further, the grievor incorrectly understood that his entire program was approved for funding under the I&I SDPEER program. However, the Canadian Forces Military Personnel Instruction 01/21, Canadian Armed Forces Self-Development Program, is clear that SDPEER requests are considered on a course-by-course basis subject to funding availability from the Canadian Armed Forces. The Committee concluded that the grievor was treated in accordance with policy and was not aggrieved.

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority not afford the grievor redress.