(Ottawa) Many soldiers struggle to cope with the high cost of living. As a result, their morale has reached an unprecedented low in several years, says the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service.
In a memo written to the Chief of Defense Staff, chaplains say more and more members of the Armed Forces are seeking help to make ends meet.
Chaplains say they expect donations to Let’s Stand Together, a nonprofit that supports military families, to double this year. However, they believe this is a short-term solution.
The memo said some soldiers said they were considering discharge from the military to avoid being assigned to certain locations.
Recent changes to the Army housing allowance have presented new challenges for some. The Armed Forces announced in March that the new allowance would be based on salary, not where a soldier operates from.
The new program is available to about 28,000 troops, but about 7,700 members would no longer qualify and thousands more would see their monthly payments reduced. Officials said this would result in a saving of 30 million a year.
In August, the military decided to phase out old housing benefits, to help thousands of service members who were at risk of losing those benefits.
Troops who would have seen their housing allowances reduced under the new program will continue to receive some allowances until July 2026.
Still, the memo says the high cost of housing is a concern for many.
“Of particular note are members who made financial commitments in 2022, at the height of the property market, or after receiving secondment instructions in early 2023; some now face significant challenges meeting their financial obligations or finding suitable housing,” it reads.
Understaffing at many bases and wings has led to “pervasive” workplace tensions and conflicts, particularly in places where there are different rules for military and civilian personnel regarding working from home.
“In understaffed environments where normal operations must be maintained, replenishment (Editor’s note: a strategy for maximizing staff where there are needs) is now seen as just a word, rather than something that would revitalize the mission of the CAF and would make a real difference in the professional lives of members,” the memo states.
The memo also noted that a new performance review process had been viewed very negatively, with many saying the system was prone to glitches and taking too long to implement. The system has “damaged relationships with subordinates” and made people feel their work is not appreciated at a time when they are taking on more tasks due to understaffing.
Measures welcomed
On a positive note, the missive notes that some members say their workplace “appears to be becoming psychologically safer” and that they can communicate their concerns with their chains of command.
The ability for members to take additional time off for religious observances received support.
There has also been positive feedback, particularly from female CAF members, about dress code changes that allow people to better express their individuality.
The chaplains, however, point out that the new dress code arouses criticism from some members, who believe that it “could erode the feeling of common mission, identity and team cohesion”.
“The pace and scale of change within the CAF is simultaneously impacting many areas of military life, including benefits, assessment and culture. Although unintentional, these changes, alongside the CAF’s efforts to rebuild the force, have caused many CAF leaders and members to feel more undervalued and underappreciated than at any time in recent memory,” concludes the memo.
This memo was sent to General Wayne Eyre last month based on information gathered by chaplains during the first six months of the year.
General Eyre was not available for an interview and his office did not respond to a list of questions sent Friday.
In a written statement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense acknowledged that there had been a lot of change within the armed forces in recent years and that “it is not surprising that there are some anxiety about what these changes mean” for members.
In response to questions about why CAF members rely on donations, the department noted that many members received salary increases this year.
“The Government of Canada recognizes and appreciates the exceptional contributions made by the Canadian Armed Forces and their families, and is committed to fairly compensating CAF members for their service,” the written statement said.