Residents in the Lakeland are increasingly expressing their concerns over the rising cost of living, with the spotlight now focusing on accommodations at the Canadian Forces Base in Cold Lake.
A special investigation done by Pierre Daigle, the ombudsman for the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces, found a variety of issues surrounding housing at 4 Wing.
His report, issued on July 9, states that a total of 30 complaints were lodged with him while he was at the base conducting a thorough investigation. The office of the ombudsman had received 21 complaints over a three-year span between 2009 and 2012. All the complaints were regarding harsh living conditions and high rent.
According to the report, the City of Cold Lake has a housing rental availability rate of just one per cent, which has caused over 40 per cent of Canadian Forces members to live on the base – a number much higher than the national average of about 15 per cent of members living on base.
Nothing in the report seemed out of line to Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland, who feels the housing situation has started to get “ugly” in recent years.
“When I read the report there was nothing in the report that surprised me. I just thought that federal politicians need to make some hard decisions,” said Copeland.
All 853 military houses on the base were assessed during the comprehensive investigation, only 18 of those homes were considered to be in good condition. The rest of the homes are considered to be in fair or poor condition.
About 97 per cent of the homes on the base were discovered to have possible asbestos in sealed-off attics and 75 per cent of homes currently have ungrounded electrical outlets.
The results of the in-depth look at the accommodations on the base led to the discovery that some military personnel are choosing to retire instead of reporting to a posting at the base in Cold Lake.
The other half of the investigation surrounded the high cost of living on the base.
The cost of rent for houses on the base, as listed on the Canadian Forces Housing Agency website, range anywhere between $895 and $1,780 for two, three and four bedroom apartments.
Copeland said rent is way too high and would like a “Cold Lake factor” built into the pay of base personnel.
“Somehow there has to be ceiling on the rent. To be charging the rent that they are on these buildings that were built in the 50's makes it hard for anyone to want to come to Cold Lake for a posting.”
The report also states that the Post Living Differential Allowance (PLD) that personnel receive to offset housing costs is rather low compared to other bases.
The members at 4 Wing receive a PLD rate of $319 per month, whereas Canadian Forces members in Edmonton receive a rate of $684.
A survey done by the ombudsman while he was at the base, showed that about 10 to 35 per cent of Cold Lake personnel have second or even third jobs in order to make ends meet.
Copeland said he understands that other citizens in Cold Lake and the surrounding area also have problems paying the high housing and rent costs.
“I know this is a difficult subject because everyone looks at themselves and says ‘Well I am not getting compensated' but these people are representing our country,” said Copeland.
At the end of the report the ombudsman released a list of recommendations which include: raising the PLD, and fixing the chain of command that deals with making sure the accommodations are at a respectable level.
“I think the government has to act,” said Copeland. “For all Canadians, it's in our best interest that we make sure our military people are taken care of because they are there to protect our country. The federal government has to come in and invest in new buildings on the base for residency.”
The report was released just seven days after the Defense Minister Peter MacKay announced $4 million dollars worth of infrastructure renovations and upgrades for the base in a federal government press release. The release stated there are planned upgrades “for renovations to some of the wing's residential housing units.”