Raises, retention bonuses promised for Canadian Forces personnel

Yahoo

19 hours ago

Pay increases for military personnel as well as retention bonuses and increased training allowances for particular Canadian Forces members are to be part of the government's spending boost for defence.
In addition, it is expected that around 1,400 new staff will be hired at the Department of National Defence.
The initiatives were outlined Monday during a technical briefing that followed Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement that defence spending was being significantly increased. The Liberal government noted that it was pumping in more funding so Canada will meet the NATO spending target of two per cent of GDP by the end of this fiscal year.
Carney repeated his election promises to purchase new submarines and other equipment as well as improve military housing and benefits.
'Members of our armed forces will get a well deserved salary increase, which will contribute to better recruitment and retention of personnel,' said Carney.
But defence officials at the technical briefing had few answers.
They did point out that not only will there be pay increases but in some cases boosts in training allowances and retention bonuses for key military personnel. They did not have information on what specific Canadian Forces jobs or trades would be eligible for bonuses.
More health-care workers will be hired for the Canadian Forces and the civilian workforce will be expanded so military personnel can focus on operations, government officials said at the technical briefing. Under government-imposed rules, the officials who provided the briefing cannot be identified.
In January, the Ottawa Citizen reported that military staff were recommending retention bonuses to keep key personnel from leaving the ranks. But there were questions at the time about whether the government would fund such a plan.
Although the Canadian Forces doesn't currently have retention bonuses, the military does offer various extra pay or allowances for those in particular jobs or handling specific duties, the Department of National Defence has noted. In addition, the military does provide extra payment to recruit individuals with particular skills.
Various western militaries, facing personnel shortages, have been using retention bonuses to entice individuals to continue to stay in the ranks.
On Nov. 22, 2024, the British government announced bonuses equivalent to $54,000 for aircraft engineers who sign up for an additional three years of military service. Privates and lance corporals who have already served four years would be eligible for a new retention bonus, which is the equivalent of $14,000.
An internal U.S. Air Force memo, recently leaked online, noted that 89 key occupations would be eligible for retention bonuses in 2025. Those bonuses range from the equivalent of $260,000 to $520,000. The retention money is aimed at a variety of jobs, including specialized maintenance crews to Chinese language analysts.
In addition, the officials at the technical briefing noted that more money will be spent on ammunition production and helping Canadian defence firms sell their products overseas. The focus moving forward on defence procurement will be on using Canadian suppliers, they added.
During his Monday speech, Carney repeated his promise that Canada will cut back on using its defence dollars to purchase U.S. military equipment.
The U.S. has become increasingly hostile to Canada, with President Donald Trump continuing with his economic efforts to punish Canada and push for this country to become the 51st state.
'We should no longer send three-quarters of our defence capital spending to America,' Carney said. 'The transformation of our military capabilities can help with the transformation of our economy.'
Despite Carney's statement, a military official confirmed during the Monday technical briefing that the Canadian Forces has an interest in the U.S.-built High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The Ottawa Citizen reported in March that the Canadian military leadership was pushing the federal government to purchase the system in a sole-source deal.
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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