The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is facing significant staffing challenges and is exploring retention bonuses as a strategy to prevent skilled personnel from leaving the service. According to an October 2024 briefing prepared for Lt.-Gen. Lise Bourgon, chief of military personnel, these bonuses are one of several measures proposed to support the reconstitution of the Canadian Forces.
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Retention Bonuses Highlighted as a Priority
Under the section titled “Additional Resources Sought,” the briefing emphasizes the need for “Retention Bonus (specific occupations).” However, it does not specify a timeline or detail which roles might qualify for these bonuses. Currently, the CAF does not offer retention bonuses but provides allowances for certain jobs and extra pay to recruit individuals with specialized skills.
Other Western militaries, facing similar challenges, have already implemented retention bonuses. For instance:
- United Kingdom: Aircraft engineers who commit to an additional three years of service can receive bonuses equivalent to $54,000, while privates and lance corporals with four years of service are eligible for $14,000.
- United States: The U.S. Air Force recently announced retention bonuses for 89 key occupations in 2025, ranging from $260,000 to $520,000. These bonuses target roles like specialized maintenance crews and Chinese language analysts.
Challenges in Securing Funding for Retention Initiatives
The briefing also identifies obstacles to implementing retention bonuses, notably securing support from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat for such initiatives. It raises the question, “How to get funding for people initiatives?” but provides no clear answers.
Efforts to manage and retain military personnel include:
- Offering career flexibility across various occupations.
- Supporting military personnel and their families.
- Implementing merit-based, impartial, and transparent promotion systems.
The Liberal government’s defense policy includes a review of compensation and benefits for Canadian Forces personnel. However, the briefing notes this initiative is currently “unfunded/not resourced.”
Canadian Forces Recruitment and Retention Efforts
The Canadian government and military leadership have launched a reconstitution effort to rebuild the ranks of the CAF. The target is to restore the regular force to 71,500 personnel and the primary reserves to 30,000, as outlined in a Department of National Defence (DND) report released in December 2024.
Despite this goal, the CAF’s regular force strength was just 63,940 as of November 15, 2024, well below the authorized 71,500. Defense Minister Bill Blair praised ongoing recruitment efforts in the report, stating that the Defense Team is “making progress accelerating the recruiting process.” However, the same report acknowledges that these efforts “were not as successful as anticipated.”
Addressing Leadership Issues to Boost Retention
Poor leadership has been flagged as a significant factor contributing to personnel leaving the military. In April 2024, Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann highlighted concerns about “toxic leadership” during a virtual town hall meeting.
McCann stated:
“A lot of our members leave this organization not necessarily because they are not going where they want to be. They leave because of toxic leadership or bad leadership. This is one aspect that we need to address if we are going to support our members better as they serve.”
Job dissatisfaction and frequent relocations have also been cited in past reports as key reasons why military personnel choose to leave the CAF.
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Broader Reforms Needed for Long-Term Retention
The CAF recognizes that addressing retention issues will require more than just bonuses. Improving military housing, health care, and compensation is also part of the plan to reconstitute the forces. Additionally, accelerating security checks for new recruits and fostering a supportive environment for military families are seen as critical steps.
As the CAF works to rebuild its ranks, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen. With staffing levels falling short of targets and leadership challenges persisting, the road to reconstitution is a complex and ongoing effort.
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