A new internal report has revealed that an increasing number of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are leaving the military due to poor housing conditions and limited access to health care, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
The Evaluation of Canadian Armed Forces Retention report shows that more than 10% of CAF members were relocated in 2024, often to communities where military housing is scarce, health-care providers are limited, and spousal employment opportunities are uncertain. These pressures, researchers say, are driving many soldiers, sailors and air crew to walk away from their careers rather than endure repeated hardship.
Waiting lists are especially severe. At some bases, daycare wait times stretch up to 32 months, while housing queues are even longer. “High housing costs… loss of spousal employment… and shortages in primary health-care providers can lead to financial and personal hardships,” the report noted. Dual-income households now form the majority of CAF families, making relocations and the loss of a second income even harder to manage.
The attrition rate for junior ranks, including young parents, has climbed to 9.4%.
The findings follow an October 21 audit by Auditor General Karen Hogan, who described some military homes as “unfit for habitation.” Inspectors found broken toilets, structural damage and buildings more than 60 years old one dating back to 1930. The audit recorded 3,706 CAF members on waiting lists for just 205 available units.
With 21,000 buildings under its control, the military is Canada’s second-largest landlord but nearly 25% of its infrastructure is over 50 years old, requiring major repairs to meet basic safety and environmental standards, according to the 2024 Audit of Defence Infrastructure.
