Program directory · National Defence
Defence Residential Housing Program
- Department
- National Defence
- Program code
- BUS04 (ND)
- Core responsibility
- Sustainable Bases, Information Technology Systems and Infrastructure
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Defence Residential Housing program manages housing assets and provides accommodation services on behalf of the Department of National Defence, in support of the Canadian Armed Forces requirements and Canadian Armed Forces members’ needs.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defence Residential Housing Program | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $462M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Renamed from “Military Family Housing” to “Defence Residential Housing Program”. | GC InfoBase program names by year |
| 2022-23 | Spending $72.9M, against $53.3M in 2021-22 (+37%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators added: % of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in "Average", "Above Average" or "New/Like New" condition; Net occupancy of Residential Housing Units | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Indicators dropped: Degree to which Military Housing is suitable to meet the needs of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and their families | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Spending $105M, against $71.3M in 2023-24 (+48%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Indicators dropped: % of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in "Average", "Above Average" or "New/Like New" condition | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators added: % of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in "Average", "Above Average" or "New/Like New" condition | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators dropped: % of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in 'Below Average' condition | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Planned spending $130M, against $90.6M in 2025-26 (+43%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
% of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in "Average", "Above Average" or "New/Like New" condition
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | To be Determined | 2024 | 87.5% | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | To be Determined | 2025 | 80% | No result reported |
Degree to which Residential Housing was maintained (National average Condition Assessment)
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 3.3 – 5 | 2020 | 3.19 The national average condition remained within an acceptable range of the AVERAGE condition assessment category (3.00 to 3.49). This indicator is being reviewed to align the target to a minimum of 3.00 for FY 2020-21. | Not met |
| 2020-21 | 3 – 5 | 2021 | 3.17 | Met |
| 2021-22 | 3 – 5 | 2022 | 3.14 | Met |
| 2022-23 | 3 – 5 | 2023 | 3.18 | Met |
| 2023-24 | 3 – 5 | 2024 | 3.25 | Met |
| 2024-25 | 3 – 5 | 2025 | 3.12 | Met |
Net occupancy of Residential Housing Units
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | To be Determined | 2024 | 90% | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | To be Determined | 2025 | 89% | No result reported |
% of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in 'Below Average' condition
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ≤ 1415% | 2020 | 1897% The number of Residential Housing Units (RHUs) in Below Average condition has increased from 1,869 to 1,897. The increase is a result of multiple factors including the overall age of a portfolio, largely constructed 70 years ago. | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≤ 1635% | 2021 | 1957% The slight increase in Residential Housing Units (RHUs) in ‘below average’ condition from 1 897 to 1 957 in 2021 is not statistically significant in a housing portfolio of 11 528 RHUs. The number of assets in ‘below average’ condition continues to shift with the passage of time, and is decreased through capital investment resulting in partial or whole-home renovations, or disposals as appropriate… | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≤ 1635% | 2022 | 2148% As a result of the pandemic, condition assessment data collection and reporting requirements were periodically adjusted in year in accordance with public health measures. In order to minimize contact with occupants, interior access to residential housing units was reserved for essential work and critical repairs. In FY 2021 22, the decreased amount of inspections may have impacted the ability to… | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≤ 1635% | 2023 | 1695% FY 2022-2023 saw a significant reduction in the number of units that were assessed as being in “below average” condition from previous years, which demonstrates success in housing component life cycle replacements, disposals or recapitalization of older homes in the military housing portfolio. Ongoing investment is required to improve condition and further decrease the number of housing units in… | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≤ 1635% | 2024 | 1445% | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≤ 1635% | 2025 | 2361% The target was not met due to the early stage of implementation of the Our North, Strong and Free housing initiative. In 2024-25, DND prioritized improving the condition of CAF housing and completed renovations on 502 units. This work represents the initial phase of a broader effort to improve housing and will continue into 2025-26 and beyond. | Not met |
Degree to which Military Housing is suitable to meet the needs of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and their families
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | — | — | — Data is not currently available for this indicator. In the next 12 months, the Canadian Forces Housing Agency will engage with internal stakeholders to develop a Suitability Framework for DND’s Residential Housing Program. The stakeholders will be engaged to identify objectives, set targets and develop the plans required to achieve them. | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | — | — | — The FY 2021-22 actual result is not available for this performance indicator as there is no consistent definition for “suitable military housing” within DND. A departmentally consistent framework defining suitability for Real Property is in development, which will include considerations for residential housing. Suitability is one of many factors used to support long term planning and decision-mak… | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | — | — | 0% The FY 2022-2023 result is not available for this performance indicator as there is no consistent definition for “suitable military housing” within DND. A departmentally consistent framework defining suitability for Real Property is in development, which will include considerations for residential housing. | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | To be determined | 2024 | No Results Available Indicator closed as of March 2024. Result will be N/A for FY 23-24. | No result reported |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
% of Residential Housing Units that were assessed as being in "Average", "Above Average" or "New/Like New" condition
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 85% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Degree to which Residential Housing was maintained (National average Condition Assessment)
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 3 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Net occupancy of Residential Housing Units
Expected result: Housing assets are suitable to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces needs
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 88% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $89.9M | $61.8M |
| 2019-20 | $87.4M | $49.7M |
| 2020-21 | $65.3M | $47.3M |
| 2021-22 | $53.9M | $53.3M |
| 2022-23 | $55.6M | $72.9M |
| 2023-24 | $68M | $71.3M |
| 2024-25 | $70.2M | $105M |
| 2025-26 | $90.6M | — |
| 2026-27 | $130M | — |
| 2027-28 | $144M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $125M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 280 | 288 |
| 2019-20 | 314 | 304 |
| 2020-21 | 340 | 302 |
| 2021-22 | 294 | 310 |
| 2022-23 | 299 | 315 |
| 2023-24 | 319 | 321 |
| 2024-25 | 331 | 339 |
| 2025-26 | 334 | — |
| 2026-27 | 360 | — |
| 2027-28 | 359* | — |
| 2028-29 | 355* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $89,904,063 | $88,251,818 | $88,777,375 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $87,380,264 | $93,035,110 | $99,535,837 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $65,285,420 | $67,426,118 | $69,457,321 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $53,935,225 | $57,329,767 | $62,210,902 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $55,556,772 | $60,342,090 | $62,032,465 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $67,963,123 | $64,722,790 | $65,430,561 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $70,210,328 | $70,834,983 | $68,760,640 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $90,570,620 | $116,683,572 | $110,369,542 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $129,695,765 | $144,279,644 | $124,650,639 | ||||||||
| Actual | $61,829,386 | $49,727,861 | $47,289,068 | $53,292,479 | $72,851,587 | $71,304,085 | $105,401,827 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
