Ottawa – An email encouraging members of the Canadian Armed Forces to consider contacting Habitat for Humanity if they cannot find affordable housing has been published, highlighting the growing challenge faced by many military personnel and their families.

The email was sent by a senior officer at 19 Wing Comox to other members at the Royal Canadian Air Force base on Northern Vancouver Island, which includes the Army's search and rescue school as well as several aircraft squadrons.

The email dated May 5 stated, "Following up on our discussion this morning, one possible housing option for our members is Habitat for Humanity. If this is of interest to any of your staff, please have them review the information here."

The email, confirmed as genuine by the Department of National Defence, included a link and contact information for the charity on Northern Vancouver Island along with a list of application criteria for a home.

Jessica Lamirande, a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence, said members were not directed to "Habitat for Humanity," but it was presented as an option for those facing "significant difficulty" finding housing.

She added, "To our knowledge, this option has not been offered or explored by CAF members in other parts of the country."

But the email highlighted the increasing complaints and concerns about the impact of skyrocketing home prices and rents on Canadian Armed Forces personnel – and Ottawa’s repeated failure to provide adequate military housing.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre, warned last month that his forces are affected by rising housing prices and other living costs due to their unique lifestyles, which include frequent moves throughout their careers.

At the same time, Eyre expressed regret over the shortage of military housing.

Online forums are widespread involving Armed Forces members discussing the current housing crisis, with some desperately seeking advice on how to find affordable housing in markets with rising rental prices.

Real estate agent Tracy Vogtman, who works with military families moving to the Comox area, said, "The past few years have been very difficult for them." "I have been in this field for 19 years and have never seen anything like this before."

The situation is similar in other military communities like Kingston, Ont., where broker Luca Andolfato has witnessed the pressure felt by many forces, their families, and even landlords.

Andolfato, who has worked with military families for 34 years, said, "There is a lot of pressure on the staff themselves and on landlords." "Anyone not ranked as an officer will find it difficult."

Geoff West is the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North. He said the charity has a long-standing working relationship with 19 Wing Comox, with armed forces personnel previously volunteering to build local homes for those in need.

While he could not specify how the May 5 email surfaced, West believed it related to a meeting the organization recently held with a senior official.

But he acknowledged that the "housing crisis" affects both military and non-military families in the area.

The Armed Forces have indeed advised their members not to buy a home, warning in March that some of the rules governing "unpredictable housing markets and figures seem inflated," and that a price correction is expected.

Meanwhile, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation stated in February that "affordability of rent continues to pose a significant challenge across the country."

Andolfato can attest to this reality in Kingston. Even with repeated internal Department of Defence assessments since 2017 confirming a need for at least 5,000 additional units to meet the army’s growing demands, government-owned homes have steadily declined for years.

The Department of Defence says the Canadian Forces Housing Agency has proposed a plan to build 1,300 new units over 10 years and consider "alternative delivery options" such as leases and public-private partnerships for the remainder. Four years after this plan was first raised, only 16 units are under construction and none have been completed.

Alan Okros, a professor at the Canadian Forces College, said the army offers a number of benefits to help offset costs.

But Okros said there is no denying that some forces are struggling, and the issue is emerging as a major factor in personnel retention.

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair