According to the news (here & here), the housing crunch in Edmonton isn’t just hitting civilians. Military families, many who originally lived off-base because housing was cheaper in the city and surrounding areas than it was in Edmonton Garrison, are finding themselves facing the same housing issues as everyone else in the area. Rents are skyrocketing and available houses are few and far between.

While military housing hasn’t been free for as long as we’ve been associated with the CF, I remember a time when it was partially subsidized (ending in the mid-to-late 90’s) and made financial sense for many military families to live on base as opposed to in cities and towns located near by.

Years ago on many Canadian Forces Bases, single military members could live in the shacks (barracks) for an indefinite period of time. Married couples without children could also find homes available to them. The hubby and I were able to live in Q’s in Borden and Winnipeg. Sure, we had to wait 10 months for an open Q when we moved to Winnipeg, but at least we qualified.

When we moved to Edmonton, we were told that no houses were available to us at Lancaster Park because we didn’t have children. Oddly enough, they had quite a few empty houses in the area at the time, we just weren’t allowed to live in one. We did manage to qualify to live in a run down, sewage spewing (don’t ask, it’s a gross story) mess of a row house in Griesbach.

Military housing is infamous for being sub-par. I learned a few things very quickly in my tenure in Q’s:

1. Many civilians think you live in the house for free and don’t pay rent.
2. Civilians who know military members pay rent don’t often realize that it’s no longer subsidized and that rents are based on the average rental rate for the area the base is located in. You may pay 50-100$ less for a base house than any other house in the area, but it’s hardly a bargain.
3. Military families who live in Q’s aren’t protected by provincial rentalsman offices and can’t withhold rent if there’s a problem with the house you’re living in. Rent comes directly off the military member’s paycheque. Sure, you can complain to the ombudsman or the CFHA, but you better ensure you don’t become an administrative burden or you could find your career adversely effected.
4. Having a hornet’s nest in the walls of the house, waiting 3 weeks for a working bathroom (when there’s only one in the house), 4 months for a hole in the roof to be fixed, or 4 days in the dead of Winnipeg winter for a back door to be put on your house won’t get you a discount on your rent or a move to a different Q. Don’t let the CFHA mission and vision statements fool you – the reality we’ve experienced over the past decade is very different.
5. Civilians working for DND have qualified for Q’s, while military members sit on waiting lists hoping for a place to live.

We learned very quickly upon arrival in Edmonton that if you don’t have children, you better find somewhere else to live. Luckily for us, we bought out house a few months before the housing market went through the roof. Our mortgage is less than what we were previously paying in rent. Sure, I may have had a busted sump in my basement last week but within 48 hours my water issues have been resolved, my basement is dry, and I’m not spending days sitting on hold with CFHA begging for assistance.

My heart goes out to military familes, seniors and low-income families who are facing the current housing shortage and crazy rent increases. Edmonton is a wonderful city to live in, but it’s quickly being priced out of reach of many who currently live here.

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