Canadian military morale sees uptick but problems persist: report


A lack of housing and equipment continue to afflict the rank and file of the Canadian Armed Forces.

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There has been a slight increase in morale in the Canadian military but a growing workload, lack of housing and shortages of equipment continue to affect the rank and file, the country’s top soldier has been told.

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Morale had been earlier assessed as “mixed to low” by military chaplains but that is now ranked as “mixed,” according to an Oct. 29 briefing for Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan. The briefing, which outlines a summary of assessments by military chaplains about the current welfare of the Canadian Armed Forces, was obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.

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Among the reasons for the boost in morale were improvements in pay and efforts to modernize the military, the briefing pointed out.

The period covered by the assessments was from April to September 2024.

But several persistent issues continue to affect morale negatively, the chaplains warned Carignan. Those include ongoing shortages in equipment and resources, lack of affordable housing, increased cost of living and staffing shortages. In certain regions, the shortage of childcare spaces and difficulties in finding a doctor are also hurting morale.

“Chaplains have reported that members are experiencing fatigue and low morale, largely due to personnel shortages,” the briefing outlined. “Members frequently express concern about being tasked with duties or responsibilities beyond their rank, particularly at the Pte/Cpl (private to corporal) level.”

The personnel shortage has also affected available support services in some areas. Those include medical, mental health and dental clinics. That, in turn, further contributes to the perception that the senior Canadian Armed Forces leadership is not adequately taking care of its personnel, the chaplains warned.

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The chaplains also noted that housing concerns are now a key factor influencing the posting preferences of military personnel. Some Canadian Forces members are opting to forgo or are resisting career postings to more expensive areas in the country because of financial reasons.

Ongoing problems with a lack of military housing are contributing to those problems, the chaplains noted.

Department of National Defence spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin said work is under way on a new study to measure morale in the Canadian Forces. The results of that study are expected to be available in the new year, she added.

A 2022 survey of DND workers found a majority of respondents were proud of their work and satisfied with their department.

Poulin said as of Oct. 1, there were 1,197 individuals on the waiting list for military housing, a slight increase from earlier this summer. The federal government is investing in additional housing, she added.

The lack of employment for spouses after personnel have been moved to a new region is also creating financial hardships, the chaplains pointed out. “Some members have resorted to taking on secondary employment to provide for their families,” the briefing noted. “While recent pay increases have been welcomed, financial stress continues to be a significant issue and is expected to persist in the foreseeable future.”

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The Ottawa Citizen earlier reported that during an April townhall, Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann warned senior officers that soldiers are leaving the ranks because of toxic military leadership.

Bob McCann Canadian Armed Forces Ottawa Citizen
Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann talks to Canadian military personnel at NORAD in the U.S. Photo by NORAD/Handout

Job dissatisfaction and repeated moves to new locations across the country have been cited in past military reports as the top reasons that Canadian Forces personnel leave.

But McCann, who advises the chief of the defence staff on issues relating to non-commissioned members, said personnel weren’t just quitting because they were being moved to locations they did not want to be. “A lot of our members leave this organization not necessarily because they are not going where they want to be,” he explained to the audience of officers during a virtual town hall on April 23 “They leave because of toxic leadership or bad leadership. This is one aspect that we need to address if we are going to support our members better as they serve.”

Various reports conducted for the Canadian Forces have also cited a desire for “geographic stability” and “job dissatisfaction” as reasons that personnel leave the ranks. Others include the need for more pay and benefits as well as military personnel having issues with senior or unit-level leadership.

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In October 2023, the Ottawa Citizen reported that Canadian Forces personnel were increasingly leaving the ranks rather than moving to new military bases where they couldn’t afford housing.

Brig.-Gen. Virginia Tattersall outlined ongoing problems with military accommodation in a June 14, 2023, briefing to senior staff, adding that Canadian Forces personnel who stayed in one location “have a significant financial advantage relative to members who move most often.”

“Increasingly, members will release (from the Canadian Forces) rather than relocate to an area they cannot afford or taking a loss on an existing home,” Tattersall’s briefing noted. That document was leaked to the Ottawa Citizen.

Canada is in the midst of a housing crisis, but some members of the military are particularly vulnerable as they are required to move around the country often for their jobs.

Military personnel who move more frequently are exposed to “to higher prices and rates more often,” Tattersall’s briefing said.

“Average cost to purchase or rent housing now exceeds incomes of several CAF working-rank levels,” she added.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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