Changes to be made to CAF Relocation Program 

Sweeping changes are expected to be made to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Relocation Program this posting season with many of the policies reverting back to the old system. 

Due to critical feedback from military members and their families, one of the major changes this year is the payment of third-party service providers directly by BGRS. These third-party services include home inspection, legal fees, real estate commission and rental research assistance fee. 

It is expected that this will make relocation smoother for members and their families as they will no longer have to request advances or make claims to pay for these hefty third-party services. 

Another significant change is the elimination of the payment cards, and all funds will now be sent to CAF members through electronic fund transfer. 

Any claims should be settled within 15 business days of BGRS receipt of the claim. 

Additionally, individual planning sessions will now take place between the military member and BGRS agent. The first session should take place within five business days of registration and will cover fundamentals of the process, website navigation and cover any other questions and concerns the member might have. 

Follow-up sessions are available to cover other topics such as House Hunting trips, transportation to the new locations and claim finalization. 

CAF members will then also be given time from their workday to organize their moves. The chain of command has been instructed to provide posted members a half day to conduct their first call with their BGRS agent and familiarize themselves with the procedure. 

Military members will also be given relocation administrative time as required in one to two-hour blocks, in coordination with the member’s chain of command. 

In case of any issues, members can contact BGRS, the CFIRP Coordinator or Director of Relocation Business Management. 

Further details are to follow on how to access the BGRS website and who to contact in case of issues with the website. 

The CAF has committed to continue improving the system by conducting annual member satisfaction services, and the military will continue to monitor feedback. 

Services are available through the BGRS website and the mobile app.

Check our Spring issue for a more in-depth article regarding the CAF Relocation Program.