Supplier Name: Environics Research Contract number: W857A-190002/001/CY Contract value: $59,974.75 (HST included) Contract date: 2022-09-29
Report delivery date: March 22, 2023
Fieldwork dates: January 18 to February 2, 2023 POR Registration Number: POR 050-22
For more information on this report: por-rop@forces.gc.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français
The Canadian Armed Forces Occupant Survey 2023 Final Report Prepared for the Department of National Defence by Environics Research March 2023
Permission to reproduce
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Department of National Defence. For more information on this report, please contact the Department of National Defence at: por-rop@forces.gc.ca
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2023.
Cat. No. D2-431/2023E-PDF
ISBN 978-0-660-48283-5
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Sondage auprès des occupants des Forces armées canadiennes 2023 Rapport final.
Cat. No D2-431/2023F-PDF
ISBN 978-0-660-48285-9
Appendix B Online survey questionnaire 46
The Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA), an agency within the Department of National Defence (DND), has been the operator and maintainer of the DND portfolio of housing since its creation in 1996. This portfolio is comprised of roughly 12,000 residential housing units (RHU), which are available to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members in 27 different locations throughout Canada.
CFHA’s Customer Service Program is responsible for the overall management and continuous improvement of services provided to occupants of DND housing at CAF Bases and Wings across Canada. To meet this obligation, the Customer Service Program must have a clear understanding of their customers’ needs and whether those needs are being met. Feedback and input from CFHA customers is therefore, collected on a regular basis, through the administration of the CAF Occupant Survey previously conducted in 2005, 2014, 2017 and 2020. The Customer Service Program identified the need to have the Occupant Survey re-administered, to collect current customer feedback.
The objective of this research is to measure satisfaction with CFHA services via an online survey. The methodology transitioned from a telephone survey to an online platform byway of a dual-mode survey conducted in 2020. By re-administering the Occupant Survey periodically, key performance indicators are able to be evaluated over time. In addition, the 2023 survey included some updated items.
The findings from the research will be used by CFHA to:
Assess CFHA customer satisfaction with services provided;
Track key indicators of the Customer Service Program’s performance since 2020;
Identify areas for improvement in CFHA customer service; and
Report on departmental performance.
The research consisted of an online survey conducted with occupants1 of DND housing. The online survey was conducted during the period January 18 to February 2, 2023. In a departure from previous years, when sampling was required to keep down the cost of a telephone survey, the approach taken in 2023 was an attempted census of occupants. A master list of 10,046 CFHA occupant households in Canada was drawn and records without e-mails and duplicate e-mails were removed. This left a contact list of 9,724 records and over 2,300 responded. Environics removed several cases where respondents answered only the initial screening questions but no substantive questions, in total 2,241 completed the survey.
As questions were not mandatory, in this report each question is analysed on the base of those responding to it. The base of people answering any question is shown as follows: n=###
1 For the purpose of this survey, “occupant” includes both CAF members and spouses/partners.
A more detailed description of the methodology used to conduct this study is presented at the back of this report (Appendix A), along with a copy of the questionnaire (Appendix B).
The cost of the contracted portion of this research was $59,974.75 (HST included).
Key findings
The results of this survey indicate CFHA has managed to weather the ongoing challenges of providing service delivery during the protracted COVID-19 pandemic period. Occupants’ satisfaction with their housing, as well as their views about CFHA’s services and communications, have for the most part maintained the baseline position established by the previous online survey, which was conducted in 2020 in the period immediately prior to the pandemic.
Condition of the RHU remains key to how occupants feel about their RHU and the CFHA’s service in general. Being responsive to requests, providing regular and appropriate communications and following up on issues reinforces that CFHA cares about the well being of the occupants of DND housing.
The following summarizes the key findings of the 2023 research:
Experience and satisfaction with DND housing
Seven in ten occupants (70%) are at least somewhat satisfied with their current RHU, comparable to 2020 (73%). Occupants who are very satisfied with their current RHU largely attribute this to some aspect of their property (81%, basically unchanged) or the location (31%, up 5 points). Dissatisfaction continues to be linked to the condition of the RHU (83%) or because of repair/maintenance issues (58%); one-third (33%) would prefer something different: more storage, more bathrooms, a garage or basement.
Strong satisfaction with most housing attributes has generally held steady since 2020, including proximity to base (80%), neighbourhood/community (47%), and access to amenities (46%). Strong satisfaction with affordability has increased slightly (43%, up from 38%), while safety/security had dipped (54%, down from 59%).
A gap analysis indicates that housing condition, privacy and energy efficiency remain priority areas for improvement (i.e., housing attributes that are of relative importance to occupants, but with which they are least satisfied). Affordability of rent also falls into this category, but this may be beyond CFHA’s ability to control.
Affordability remains the top reason given (without prompting) for choosing to live in DND housing, with seven in ten (70%, up from 64%) indicating this. Two-thirds (68%, similar to 70%) mention something related to the location, mainly its proximity to the base/wing (50%). One-third (35%) indicate there was no other choice/limited alternatives, and one-quarter say it was convenient to not have to search for housing.
Experience and satisfaction with CFHA services
The proportion of occupants who rate the CFHA’s customer service as excellent (22%, down 4 points from 2020) or good (26%, down 3 points) has declined somewhat; while another quarter (26%) say it is
acceptable. One-quarter (25%, marginally up from 21%) say its service is poor (16%) or very poor (9%). Occupants remain mainly positive about CFHA’s response times.
When asked about what they like and dislike about the CFHA services, the same key factors continue to be mentioned: the timeliness of response, the quality of repairs, and the attitude of the staff.
Majorities rate friendliness/courtesy and responding promptly to inquiries and requests as excellent or good, but fewer than half give a positive rating to other aspects. There has been a drop in the proportion indicating the CFHA is excellent at carrying out maintenance and repairs (19%, down from 24%)
Seven in ten (69%, down from 75% in 2020) indicate they had a minor repair (65%, unchanged from 66%) or major renovation (17%, down from 26%) in the past year. Those who had minor repairs are generally satisfied with the service received, with three-quarters or more being at least somewhat satisfied with each of four service aspects, as are at least six in who had major renovations. In both cases, satisfaction is highest that the contractor arrived when promised, and lowest for the quality of the work.
Over eight in ten (83%, comparable to 84% in 2020) occupants are aware of, and over half (56%, up from 50%) have used, the after-hours emergency service. Over half (52%, down marginally from 57%) are very satisfied with the call centre staff, and seven in ten (70%, unchanged from 69%) are very satisfied with their emergency services contractor.
CFHA communications
Eight in ten (79%) occupants are at least somewhat familiar with the CFHA Occupant Handbook, and slightly more than this (84%) recall receiving some type of communication from CFHA in the past year (up from seven in ten in 2020), with almost three-quarters (73%) saying it was a newsletter and over half (56%) saying they saw notices or advisories. E-mail remains the preferred way to get both critical and general information.
Just under two in ten (18%) moved into an RHU in the past year and remember receiving a Digital Welcome Kit, and almost all of these (92%) say it was helpful to them. Eight in ten (81%) express at least some interest in a Digital Exit Kit to help them transition out of their current RHU when the time comes.
Six percent are aware of the CFHA’s twitter account, and two-thirds (66%, up slightly from 60%) have visited the CFHA website, most often for general information (47%) or for contact information (40%).
Sixteen percent are aware of the new Services to Occupants section of the website and six in ten (62%) of those aware have used it to submit an online form, most often a repair or maintenance request (38%), an application for DND housing (25%) or submitting an Extended Absence from the RHU form (25%). Nine in ten (90%) who have submitted a form were satisfied to some extent with the process, and most of these (56%) are very satisfied.
Half of occupants (51%) say CFHA’s communications efforts are excellent or good (unchanged from 2020), and a further third (34%) say they are acceptable.
Of a list of specific types of information about DND housing, two-thirds (66%) express interest in receiving advance notice of work to be done to their RHU, over six in ten would like to see information on rent
Quality of life
Just under four in ten (37%) occupants with other household members say well-being is the main reason they choose DND housing, and close to half (45%) say it is an important reason, if not the main one. These results are very consistent with the online survey of 2020.
Majorities of occupants continue to indicate the distances between home and regular destinations (e.g. work, recreation, shopping, and their child’s school or day-care) are reasonable.
Political neutrality statement and contact information
I hereby certify as a Representative of Environics Research that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, and standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Brenda Sharpe
Senior Research Associate, Corporate and Public Affairs Environics Research
brenda.sharpe@environics.ca (613) 699-6886
Supplier name: Environics Research
PWGSC contract number: W857A-190002/001/CY
Contract award date: 2022-09-29 For more information, contact DND at por-rop@forces.gc.ca
The Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA), an agency within the Department of National Defence (DND), has been the operator and maintainer of the DND portfolio of housing since its creation in 1996. This portfolio is comprised of roughly 12,000 residential housing units (RHU), which are available to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members in 27 different locations throughout Canada. As part of its role in housing to CAF members and their households, CFHA is responsible for carrying out maintenance and repairs, administering the rent system and managing the housing assets on behalf of the Department. Treasury Board (TB) made CFHA a Special Operating Agency (SOA) provisional, which imposes restrictions on the Department’s ability to construct new housing. When CFHA took over its portfolio, much of the housing available was built 50 years ago and was either in poor repair (the result of neglect) and/or does not meet contemporary standards (e.g. small, lacking in modern amenities).
To meet its obligations, the Customer Service Program must have a clear understanding of their customers’ needs and whether those needs are being met. The last time customer feedback was collected was in 2020 through the administration of the CAF Occupant Survey in a dual-mode format (telephone and online) which allowed for tracking with the earlier telephone waves of the survey while permitting a transition to a fully online methodology. The Customer Service Program identified the need to have the Occupant Surveys re-administered, to collect the current customer feedback and, by comparing data to the 2020 online surveys, evaluate key performance indicators over time.
This research was conducted because:
This research is prescribed by the CFHA’s policy to manage and continually improve the Agency’s customer services.
This research supports government and DND priority of ensuring the care and well-being of CAF members and their households.
This research will benefit Canadians by ensuring the housing needs of their CAF members and their households are met.
There are no risks associated with information gathering and dissemination: participation is on a voluntary basis and participant anonymity is ensured during and after the research study.
The risks associated with failure to secure information will be a lack of information to inform decision- making and monitor performance regarding DND/CAF housing activities.
The objective of this research is to measure satisfaction with CFHA services through online surveys. By re- administering the Occupant Survey periodically, key performance indicators can be evaluated over time. In addition, the 2023 survey included some updated items, and was pre-tested by DND to verify that the survey instrument addressed the key areas of concern of CFHA customers. The findings from the research will be used by CFHA to:
Assess CFHA customer satisfaction with services provided;
Track key indicators of the Customer Service Program’s performance since 2020;
Identify areas for improvement in CFHA customer service; and
Report on departmental performance.
This report presents an executive summary of the key findings and conclusions, followed by a detailed analysis of the study results, with comparisons to the 2020 online survey where applicable.
As questions were not mandatory, in this report each question is analysed on the base of those responding to it. The number of people answering any question is shown as follows: (n=###)
A set of detailed banner tables is provided (under separate cover) presenting the results of each question in the survey for all participants and by key socio-demographic characteristics. Unless otherwise noted, all results are expressed as a percentage. Subgroup differences are noted in the text only when statistically significant. Tables may not add to 100% due to rounding or multiple mentions.
This section provides a profile of occupants of DND housing, followed by an analysis of housing priorities/expectations and occupants’ satisfaction with DND housing.
As in 2020, most CAF members currently live in either a single or semi-detached RHU and their tenure has been less than three years. A majority have lived in DND housing in other locations, as well as living in the local community during their CAF career. Seven in ten considered buying or renting in the community before choosing DND housing, higher than in 2020.
Type of house. The Canadian Armed Forces bases offer several different housing options to CAF members in each of its locations across the country. As in previous years, the majority of occupants report living in either a single RHU (36%) or a semi-detached RHU (36%); one in five (20%) live in a row house. Fewer than one in ten occupants live in either an apartment (5%) or another type of home (3%).
Type of housing
House type | 2023 Online % (n=2,232) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Single | 36 | 35 |
Semi-detached | 36 | 39 |
Row house | 20 | 18 |
Apartment | 5 | 4 |
Other | 3 | 3 |
Q61. Do you currently live in…?
Housing tenure. The nature of military postings means a majority of DND housing occupants have lived in their RHUs for a relatively short time. In 2023, six in ten (59%) have lived in their current RHU for less than three years, with one in five (19%) living there less than a year (down from 26% in 2020), and four in ten (41%, up from 33%) living there longer.
How long have you lived in current home?
Length of time | 2023 Online % (n=2,315) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
12 months or less | 19 | 26 |
1 to 3 years | 40 | 41 |
3 or more years | 41 | 33 |
Q1. How long have you lived in your current home?
Previous housing experience. A slim majority of occupants (53%) have lived in DND housing prior to their current RHU, a proportion comparable to 2020. On average these occupants have lived in three (3.0) different RHUs during their (or their spouse’s) career, consistent with 2020 (2.9).
Essentially unchanged from 2020, a majority (62%) of occupants say they have also lived in the local community during their (or their spouse’s) career, while more than a third (38%) have only ever lived in DND housing.
Previous housing experience
Experience | 2023 Online % (n=2,260) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Previously lived in DND housing | 53 | 51 |
Experience | (n=2,304) | (n=726) |
Ever lived in local community | 62 | 61 |
Q2. Have you previously lived in DND housing at another location?
Q4. Have you always lived in DND housing during your (your spouse’s) career, or have you also lived in the local community?
Considered living outside DND housing. Seven in ten occupants (69%, up somewhat from 64% in 2020) considered buying a home in their area or renting in the community outside of an RHU before moving into DND housing.
Considered buying or renting outside DND housing
Considered | 2023 Online % (n=2,308) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Yes | 69 | 64 |
No | 31 | 36 |
Q5a. When you were deciding where to live, did you consider buying a home in your area or renting in the community, outside of DND housing?
Majorities in most segments of the CAF population say they considered non-DND housing, but the following groups are the most likely to have considered it:
CAF members (70%, vs. 62% of spouses/partners)
Have children in the home part time (78%, vs 69% either with children full time or with no children)
Household incomes of $75,000 or more (73%, vs. 64% under $75,000)
Have lived in the community before (74%, vs. 63% who have always lived in DND housing)
Having considered living in community housing is also higher among those who, later in the survey, indicate they are not very or at all satisfied with their current RHU (76%), those who rate their RHU as being worse than other DND housing (75%), and those who say their housing takes away from their quality of life (77%).
As in previous years, occupants are most likely to have chosen their RHU for its affordability, and the most important housing attributes are affordable rent, condition of the RHU and privacy. The kitchen, overall size of the house and amount of storage are the most important aspects of the RHU.
Top reasons - unprompted. Occupants were asked to indicate up to 3 reasons they chose to live in DND housing, and provided with a list of 13 options with a chance to write in something else. The top reason (without prompting) CAF members and their households chose their currently RHU remains affordability (71%, up from 64% of online respondents in 2020). Seven in ten make a mention related to convenience or lack thereof: that they had no other choice (35%, up from 26%), that it was convenient not to have to look for something else (23%, marginally down from 27%) or that it was available/offered (18%).
Six in ten mention a reason related to location, usually with regard to proximity to the base/workplace
Reasons for living in current RHU (Top mentions)
Reason given | 2023 Online % (n=2,310) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Affordable/less expensive than private housing | 71 | 64 |
NET: Location | 61 | 65 |
Convenient to base | 50 | 53 |
Convenient to transit | 8 | 10 |
Good support network/close-knit community | 7 | 9 |
Convenient to other amenities (e.g., schools, shopping) | 6 | 7 |
No other choice/limited alternatives | 35 | 26 |
Convenience of not looking for housing | 24 | 27 |
It was available/offered | 18 | 17 |
Safety/security | 11 | 11 |
For household/family reasons | 9 | 9 |
Temporary posting or looking for private housing | 6 | 11 |
Always lived in DND housing | 3 | 4 |
Bigger/nicer house | 3 | 3 |
Q5. Why have you chosen to live in DND housing?
Having chosen the current RHU for its affordability is the top answer across many subgroups, but is highest among this following:
Navy (85%)
Junior NCM (72%) and Junior Officers (77%)
Urban (74%, vs 68% on non-urban bases)
No previous DND house (73%) or always lived in DND housing (74%)
Did not consider buying in the community (74%).
Most important considerations - prompted. Occupants of DND housing were asked how important nine specific considerations are to them personally in terms of what matters about their RHU. All of these are considered to be at least somewhat important by more than three-quarters of occupants, but the characteristic with the greatest importance continues to be affordability (90% very important), followed by the condition of the RHU (58%), privacy (58%), energy efficiency (57%) and safety/security (55%). Fewer than half indicate other aspects are very important. These ratings are very similar to the online responses in 2020.
Housing characteristics that are very important when choosing a RHU
Characteristic | 2023 Online % (n=2,312) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Affordability | 90 | 88 |
Condition of RHU | 68 | 70 |
Privacy | 58 | 58 |
Energy efficiency | 57 | 57 |
Safety/security | 55 | 55 |
Size/space | 47 | 44 |
Neighbourhood/community | 37 | 40 |
Proximity to base/wing | 33 | 35 |
Access to amenities | 30 | 29 |
Q6. How important are each of the following to you in terms of what matters about your home? Starting with [first item], is this very important, somewhat important, not very important or not at all important to you personally?
The relative importance of these characteristics continued to be largely similar across subgroups. Housing condition, safety, energy efficiency, size and neighbourhood are more important to married/common law respondents, while single/divorced/widowed are somewhat more likely to indicate affordability or proximity to the base. Other patterns are not pronounced.
Most important home feature. Occupants were asked the most important room or feature of their RHU in terms of its impact on the way their household lives; they could choose up to 3 of 12 responses or write in something else. As in 2020, the top response is the kitchen (45%), followed by four in ten saying either the size of the RHU (39%) or having sufficient storage (39%). One third also see the available outdoor space as being very important. Around one quarter or fewer rate other aspects as being very important. Results are generally similar to 2020, except a higher proportion indicate air conditioning is very important (26% vs. 17%), and fewer indicate the living room (25% vs 32%).
Most important home feature
Room/feature | 2023 Online % (n=2,296) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Kitchen | 45 | 48 |
Size of house / number of rooms / floors | 39 | 39 |
Sufficient storage | 39 | 33 |
Yard or outdoor space | 32 | 33 |
Bedrooms | 27 | 29 |
Air conditioning | 26 | 17 |
Living room | 25 | 32 |
Number of bathrooms | 24 | 23 |
Garage | 19 | 16 |
Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) | 5 | 4 |
Closet space | 3 | 4 |
Dining room | 3 | 6 |
Other | 3 | 3 |
Q6k.Which room or feature of your home is most important to the way your household (2020: family) lives?
The kitchen is a top response across all groups, but is higher among single/divorced/widowed occupants, those with no children, junior and senior officers, those in non-urban locations, and those for whom this is their first time in DND housing. Other patterns are not especially marked, except that the importance of the size of the RHU and the number of bathrooms both increase as household income increases and is higher among those with children in the home full time.
Seven in ten express some satisfaction with their current RHU overall. Satisfaction levels remain linked to the condition of the RHU. A one-third (34%) plurality believe their current RHU is in about the same condition as other DND housing.
Seven in ten occupants express at least some satisfaction with their current RHU, statistically similar to 2020; half of these are somewhat satisfied. Three in ten are dissatisfied to some extent.
Overall satisfaction with current RHU
Overall satisfaction | 2023 Online % (n=2,301) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Very/somewhat satisfied | 70 | 73 |
Very satisfied | 19 | 22 |
Somewhat satisfied | 51 | 51 |
Not very satisfied | 22 | 21 |
Not at all satisfied | 8 | 6 |
Q7. Overall, how satisfied are you with your current home? Are you...?
Majorities of most subgroups are satisfied to some extent with their current RHU; being very satisfied is higher among the following:
Age 45 and over (31%)
Navy (23%) and RCAF (24%)
Junior Officers (32%) and Senior Officers (39%)
Been in current RHU one year or less (28%, vs. 17% who with longer tenure)
Have also lived in the community (21%, vs. 17% who have only lived in DND housing)
Did not consider buying/renting in the community (23%, vs. 18% who did).
Why very satisfied. Occupants who are very satisfied with their current RHU largely attribute this to some aspect of their property (81%, basically unchanged), such as the size (38%, up from 27%), affordability, condition or the RHU’ features. Three in ten are very satisfied because of the location (31%, up 5 points), in terms of proximity to the base or amenities and liking the location/neighbourhood. Two in ten like aspects of the community, such it being private or quiet, having a support system, or it being safe/secure.
Why very satisfied with current home
Among those who are very satisfied with their current home
Reason given | 2023 Online % (n=399) | 2020 Online % (n=161) |
NET: Property | 81 | 80 |
Big house/good size/lots of space | 38 | 27 |
Affordable | 34 | 27 |
Modern/renovated | 27 | 25 |
Well-maintained/clean/good condition | 14 | 18 |
Has garage/basement | 12 | - |
Like the property/yard/view | 9 | 18 |
Nice house/I like the house | 8 | 16 |
Good storage | 5 | - |
Like the layout | 5 | - |
Energy efficient | 2 | - |
NET: Location | 31 | 26 |
Close to work/base | 15 | 11 |
Like location/area/neighbourhood | 13 | 13 |
Close to amenities/schools | 10 | 5 |
Convenient | 1 | 3 |
NET: Community | 20 | 10 |
Private/quiet/peaceful/comfortable | 10 | - |
Sense of community/support system | 6 | 1 |
Safe/secure | 6 | 6 |
Q8a. Why do you say are very satisfied?
Why only somewhat satisfied. Most who are somewhat satisfied with their RHUs mention something else they would prefer (61%, up from 42% in 2020) or point out various maintenance problems (53%). On the more positive side (33%, up from 17%) are mentions of affordability, a good size, and renovation.
Why somewhat satisfied with current home
Among those who are “somewhat satisfied” with their current home (52% of occupants)
Reason given | 2023 Online % (n=1,075) | 2020 Online % (n=375) |
NET: NEGATIVE REASONS | 90 | 85 |
SUBNET: Want something different/better | 61 | 42 |
Would like extra/bigger/nicer/bathroom/kitchen | 23 | 20 |
Would like a garage/basement/storage | 16 | 13 |
Too small/want bigger house | 10 | 10 |
Would like an A/C installed for the hot summers | 6 | - |
Dislike layout/ design | 4 | - |
Would like a fence for more privacy | 6 | - |
Problems with/would like new floors/carpets | 4 | - |
Problems with/would like new windows | 3 | - |
Dislike/would like more yard/property | 2 | - |
Would prefer a detached home | 1 | - |
SUBNET: Maintenance problems | 50 | 49 |
Too old/needs upgrades/modernization | 13 | 21 |
Needs maintenance/repairs/upkeep | 9 | 2 |
Problems with heating/insulation/cold | 19 | 21 |
Not energy efficient | 6 | - |
Problems with plumbing/leaking basement or roof | 6 | - |
Problems with paint/needs to be painted/paint layers peeling | 5 | - |
Problems with electrical wires outlets | 5 | - |
Problems with air quality/mold | 2 | - |
Problems with mice / insects | 2 | - |
Not satisfied with CFHA | 22 | 10 |
No privacy/bad neighbours | 6 | 5 |
Too expensive/rent too high | 10 | 9 |
NET: POSITIVE REASONS | 33 | 27 |
Affordable | 11 | 7 |
Big house/good size/lots of space | 6 | 9 |
Modern/have done renovations | 6 | 6 |
Nice house/I like the house | 4 | 5 |
Well maintained/clean/in good shape/condition | 3 | - |
Q8b. Why do you say you are somewhat satisfied?
Why not satisfied. Occupants who are not very or not at all satisfied with their RHU remain most likely to say it is because of the condition of the RHU (83%) or because of repair/maintenance issues (58%); one-third would prefer something different: more storage, more bathrooms, a garage or basement. The table below shows more specifics than in 2020, but the main issues remain the same.
Why not satisfied with current home (top reasons)
Among those who are “not very” or “not at all” satisfied with their current home
Reason given | 2023 Online % (n=671) | 2020 Online % (n=190) |
NET: Condition of house | 83 | 77 |
Problems with heating/ insulation/cold/drafty/not energy efficient | 32 | 29 |
Too small | 30 | 34 |
Too old/needs upgrades/modernization/ renovations | 27 | 40 |
Maintenance/structural problems/house poorly built /falling apart | 23 | - |
Poor state of repair/run down | 20 | 34 |
Expensive | 18 | 28 |
NET: Problems with repairs/renovations | 58 | 44 |
Hard to get repairs done/service | 17 | 32 |
Plumbing issues (leaking, flooding, …..) | 11 | - |
Paint applied layers on top of each other causing paint to peel off walls / cabinets | 11 | - |
Heat pump / A/C issues (not provided, poor circulation etc.) | 10 | - |
Problems which have negative impact on health (mold, lead, asbestos,…) | 9 | -5 |
Poor quality renovations | 8 | 17 |
Repairs/service needed | 7 | - |
Electricity fixtures/wiring issues | 7 | - |
Problems with appliances | 7 | - |
Lacks heat control | 1 | - |
NET: Layout/want something different | 33 | 26 |
Insufficient storage inside/outside | 13 | - |
Only one bathroom for the whole family | 9 | - |
No garage | 8 | - |
Dislike layout | 7 | 24 |
No/unfinished basement | 4 | - |
No fence for privacy | 4 | - |
Want something more/different | 1 | 4 |
Dirty/problem with pests | 9 | 10 |
No privacy/bad neighbours/noise/thin walls | 8 | 10 |
Q8c. Why do you say you are not very/not at all satisfied?
Of several aspects, occupants remain most satisfied with their RHU’s proximity to the base or wing and its safety/security
Occupants were asked how satisfied they are with nine specific elements of their current RHU (using the same list of attributes as for the “importance” question). Since at least half of occupants are at least somewhat satisfied with each of these elements, the subsequent analysis of this question focuses on those who are very satisfied.
As in 2020, occupants are most likely to be very satisfied with the proximity of their RHU to the base/workplace, followed by safety/security, the neighbourhood/community, and access to various amenities. Just over four in ten are very satisfied with their RHU’s affordability, which was rated as the most important aspect. The qualities least likely to bring strong satisfaction are the condition and energy efficiency of the RHU.
Very satisfied with characteristics of the current home
Characteristics | 2023 Online % (n=2,295) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Proximity to base/wing | 80 | 77 |
Safety/security | 54 | 59 |
Neighbourhood/community | 47 | 49 |
Access to amenities | 46 | 47 |
Affordability | 43 | 38 |
Size/space | 32 | 32 |
Privacy | 30 | 29 |
Condition of home | 22 | 22 |
Energy efficiency | 13 | 14 |
Q9. How satisfied are you with each of these specific elements of your current home?
Responses are generally similar across the occupant population in regards to: base proximity, safety, neighbourhood, affordability and condition. Those age 45 or more are more likely than their younger counterparts to rate as very important access to amenities, size/space, privacy and condition of the RHU. Affordability satisfaction increases as household income increases, from a low of 33 percent of those with under
$50,000 up to 51% of those with over $100,000.
Comparison to other DND housing. A one-third (34%) plurality of occupants believe their current RHU is in about the same condition as other DND housing; just over two in ten (22%) think it is in better condition and the same proportion (23%) think it is worse. Two in ten do not know. These results are very similar to 2020.
Condition of current home vs. other DND housing
Home versus other DND housing | 2023 Online % (n=2,282) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Better | 22 | 23 |
About the same | 34 | 32 |
Worse | 23 | 23 |
Don’t know/no answer | 21 | 22 |
Q11. From what you know, is the condition of your current home is better, worse or about the same as other DND housing across Canada?
Belief that their RHU is in better condition than other DND housing is linked to satisfaction with the current RHU (52% who are very satisfied think it is better, compared to 20% who are somewhat satisfied and 5% who are dissatisfied). Thinking it is better s also higher among the following:
Household income $100,000+ (27%)
RCAF (30%)
Junior Officers (32%) and Senior Officers (32%)
Non-urban bases (25%)
Living in the current dwelling for three years or less (26%, vs 15% more than three years)
Have also lived in the community (23%, vs. 19% always in DND housing)
Canadian Forces Housing Agency 2023 Occupant Survey
Affordability, condition of the RHU, privacy and energy efficiency are priority areas for future attention.
To more clearly understand how satisfied occupants are with the attributes they consider important, below is a graphic presenting a “quadrant analysis” summarizing the positions of each of the nine rated attributes relative to each other. Each attribute is plotted by both the percentage of occupants who say it is very important (Y-axis) and the percentage who say they are very satisfied with it (X-axis). The position of the attributes on the map is generally very consistent with 2020.
The lower right quadrant presents areas for improvement: housing characteristics that are relatively high in importance, but where satisfaction is relatively lower. These results indicate priority should be placed on privacy, condition of the RHU and energy efficiency. Affordability could also be improved in the minds of occupants, but this may be beyond DND’s ability to control in many cases.
As in 2020, DND housing proximity to base is overperforming, and security is basically where it should be. Other attributes that have lower satisfaction are also of lesser importance; they could be improved but are not priorities if time and budget do not permit.
SATISFACTION
IMPORTANCE
Housing satisfaction quadrant analysis
Lower importance Higher satisfaction Proximity to base (2023) Proximity to base (2020) | Higher importance Higher satisfaction Security (2020) |
Amenities (2020) Neighbourhood Neig(2020) od hbourho Amenities (2023) (2023) Size/space (2023 Size/space (2020) Lower importance Lower satisfaction | Security (2023) Affordable rent (2023)
) Privacy (2023) Affordable rent (2020)
Privacy (2020) Condition (2023) Energy efficiency Condition (2020) (2023) Higher importance Energy efficiency Lower satisfaction (2020) |
In the upper left quadrant, the attributes of proximity to base, neighbourhood and access to amenities have satisfaction levels that meet or exceed their rated importance. The attributes in the lower left quadrant (size/space and privacy) have weaker satisfaction ratings than the ideal (although they have improved since 2017), but as these attributes are very important to a smaller number of occupants, they are of secondary priority for future improvements.
Around one third of occupants think the quality their current housing contributes to their overall satisfaction with life in the CAF, but similar proportions also feel it diminishes it or makes no difference.
Occupants are divided about the impact of their current housing quality on their satisfaction with life in the CAF. Around one third each say it adds to, takes away from or makes no difference to their CAF life. These proportions are generally similar to 2020.
Impact of current housing quality on satisfaction with life in CAF
Effect on quality of life | 2023 Online % (n=2,284) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Adds to | 35 | 35 |
Makes no difference | 34 | 37 |
Takes away from | 32 | 28 |
Q14. Would you say the quality of your current housing adds to, takes away from or makes no difference to your overall satisfaction with life in the CAF?
How someone feels about the impact of their house of their CAF life is strongly linked to their satisfaction with their current RHU and how they feel it compares to other CAF housing, with those very satisfied or who think their RHU is better than others being the most likely to report it adding to their overall CAF life satisfaction. The view that their current housing quality adds to their satisfaction with CAF life decreases as length of tenure increases (from 43% one year or less down to 29% more than three years) and is higher among the following:
Have a child at home part time (44%)
Junior Officers (45%) and Senior Officers (54%)
Single (35%) or semi-detached (37%, vs 30% other housing type)
Fewer than four previous DND houses (36%, vs. 28% four or more)
A strong three-quarters majority would be at least somewhat likely to recommend DND housing to another CAF member; one-third are very likely to do so.
Three-quarters (75%) occupants would be either very (32%) or somewhat (43%) likely to recommend DND housing to another CAF member. This is a slight decrease since 2020. One-quarter are not very (18%) or at all (7%) likely to do so.
Likelihood to recommend DND housing to another CAF member
Likelihood | 2023 Online % (n=2,287) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Very/somewhat likely | 75 | 80 |
Very likely | 32 | 30 |
Somewhat likely | 43 | 50 |
Not very likely | 18 | 14 |
Not at all likely | 7 | 6 |
Q14a. How likely are you to recommend DND housing to another CAF member?
Being very likely to recommend DND housing is higher among the following:
Single/widowed/divorced occupants (36%)
Age 45 + (46%)
Navy (47%)
Junior Officers (42%) and Senior Officers (48%)
In this RHU one year or less (38%)
Did not consider renting in the community (40%)
This section focuses on occupants’ evaluation of the service received from CFHA, both overall and specifically in relation to repairs and renovations, the after-hours emergency response service (EAHRS) and the complaint resolution process.
Positive ratings of CFHA service have declined somewhat since 2020, with just under half saying the customer service of the Agency is excellent or good. Response times remain a key factor in opinion about the CFHA’s service.
The proportion of occupants who rate the CFHA’s customer service as excellent (22%) or good (26%) has declined somewhat (48%, own from 54%); while another one-quarter (26%) say it is acceptable. One-quarter (25%, marginally up from 21%) say service is poor (16%) or very poor (9%).
Rating of CFHA service in past year
Rating | 2023 Online % (n=2,284) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Excellent/good | 48 | 54 |
Excellent | 22 | 26 |
Good | 26 | 29 |
Acceptable | 27 | 25 |
Poor | 16 | 13 |
Very poor | 9 | 8 |
Q15. The Canadian Forces Housing Agency, or CFHA, is the agency responsible for operating and maintaining DND housing. Overall, how would you rate the customer service you have received from CFHA in the past year?
Satisfaction with their current RHU continues to be a key driver of satisfaction with CFHA customer service. Occupants who are very satisfied with their current RHU are much more likely to give CFHA a positive rating (83%) than are those who are dissatisfied (19%). This same pattern is seen with those who think their RHU is in better condition than other CAF housing, and those who think their current RHU adds to the quality of their CAF life.
Positive ratings (excellent/good) of CFHA customer service are also higher among the following:
Aged 45 and older (64%)
Single, widowed or divorced (55%)
Junior Officers (63%) and Senior Officers (67%)
In this RHU one year or less (60%)
No previous DND houses (51%)
Have also lived in the community (51%) or considered community housing this time (55%).
Service likes and dislikes. Occupants were asked what they liked and disliked the most about that service (both unprompted). The aspects occupants like about CFHA service are generally comparable to 2020, the most common being the quick response or prompt service they receive (50, up from 41%), providing maintenance (10%, down from 21%) and being friendly or empathetic (10%, down from 19%). One in ten observe they do their best (9%).
What liked most about CFHA service (top mentions 4% or more)
Liked most | 2023 Online % (n=1,816) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Respond quickly/promptly | 50 | 41 |
Provide maintenance/repairs | 10 | 21 |
Friendly/caring/empathetic | 10 | 19 |
Helpful/do their best to help | 9 | 8 |
Respectful/good ethics/respect privacy | 7 | - |
Good communication/provide required information/answers/updates | 7 | - |
Provide good service | 6 | 6 |
Easy access/close to the base | 6 | 6 |
Competent/cordial contractors/provide fast and quality work | 5 | - |
Professional/knowledgeable | 4 | 8 |
Easy to deal with/pleasant/approachable | 4 | - |
Affordable (low rent, free maintenance/ repairs) | 4 |
Q17. What do you like the most about the service you have received from CFHA?
As before, the aspects of CFHA service that are most disliked are slow response (21%, up from 14% in 2020) and poor quality repairs or maintenance (14%, marginally down from 18%). One in ten mention they ignore issues raised (11%), hiring the lowest bidder (9%) or being uncaring or unfriendly (9%). Fewer than one in ten mention other issues.
What disliked most about CFHA service (top mentions)
Disliked most | 2023 Phone % (n=1,813) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Respond very slowly | 21 | 14 |
Poor quality of repairs/maintenance | 14 | 18 |
They ignore issues raised due to unavailable/low budget/we have to work around issues ourselves | 11 | - |
They hire the lowest bidder/unprofessional contractors/contractors are out to do cheap work | 9 | - |
Uncaring/unfriendly | 9 | 10 |
Inadequate housing/property/poor housing quality | 7 | |
Don’t follow up/make sure job was done properly | 6 | 4 |
No service from CFHA/no adequate basic services provided | 6 | - |
Uncommunicative/don’t tell you what is going on | 6 | 9 |
Poor administration/disorganized | 5 | 12 |
Difficult to choose/switch housing/be granted bigger housing to accommodate my growing family | 4 | - |
Rules/regulations | 4 | 5 |
Rent too high/too expensive for what you get | 4 | - |
Q18. And what do you dislike the most about the service you have received from CFHA?
Ratings of CFHA service attributes have declined marginally since 2020
Occupants were asked to rate several aspects of CFHA service. Majorities rate friendliness/courtesy and responding promptly to inquiries and requests as excellent or good, but fewer than half give a positive rating to other aspects. While results are generally similar to, if slightly softer than, 2020, there has been a notable decrease in the proportion indicating the CFHA is excellent at carrying out maintenance and repairs (19%, down from 24%).
CFHA service attribute is rated as excellent
Attribute | 2023 Online % (n=2,278) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Being friendly and courteous | 34 | 37 |
Responding promptly to inquiries or requests | 28 | 31 |
Carrying out maintenance or repairs | 19 | 24 |
Being caring and empathetic | 18 | 19 |
Being knowledgeable about housing issues | 18 | 20 |
Making fair decisions | 14 | 16 |
Q19.Please tell me if you consider CFHA to be excellent, good, acceptable, poor or very poor in each of the following areas.
In general, excellent ratings are higher for each of CFHA’s attributes among those who are not married, are over 45 years old, Junior or Senior Officers, those who have also lived in the community, and those who have been in their RHU for less than a year. As with other measures, rating CFHA service attributes as excellent is highest among those who are very satisfied with their current housing, and lowest among those not very or at all satisfied; it is also higher among those who feel their RHU is in better condition than other CAF housing or that it adds to the quality of their CAF life.
Two-thirds of occupants have had recent experience with minor repairs, and under one in five with major renovations. Strong satisfaction with the quality and speed of both renovations and minor repairs, and the promptness of the contractor, has remained fairly stable since 2020.
Seven in ten (69%) of occupants have had work done to their RHU in the past year, down from 2020 (75%). In most cases, these continue to be minor repairs like replacing the seal of a leaky tap (65%), consistent with 2020. There has been a decrease in the proportion who had major renovations (such as new kitchen, bathrooms or windows) in the past year (17%, down from 26%).
Experience with repairs and renovations in past year
Repairs or renovations | 2023 Online % (n=2,278) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Any experience | 69 | 75 |
Minor repairs | 65 | 66 |
Major renovations | 17 | 26 |
Q27. Have you had any of the following done on your current home in the past 12 months?
Major renovations are more widely reported by those under age 35 (23%) and those serving in the Navy (23%). Minor repairs are most reported by married or common law occupants (70%) and those with household incomes of $100,000 or more (74%).
Occupants who have had minor repairs to their RHU in the past year are generally satisfied with the service received, with three-quarters or more being at least somewhat satisfied with each of the four service aspects. Results are generally comparable to 2020, and are fairly similar across subgroups, except Junior NCMs are less likely than others to be very satisfied with all four aspects. As with other measures, being very satisfied is linked to higher overall satisfaction with the current RHU, to thinking their RHU is better than other CAF housing, to feeling their RHU adds to the quality of their CAF life, and to rating CFHA service as excellent or good.
Very satisfied with most recent minor repairs
Among those who have had minor repairs done in past year
Service aspect | 2023 Online % (n=1,472) | 2020 Online % (n=408) |
Contractor arrived when promised | 51 | 53 |
How contractor cleaned up after repairs completed | 46 | 49 |
How quickly repairs were done | 44 | 45 |
Quality of repairs | 36 | 38 |
Q28. Thinking about the minor repairs that have been done most recently, were you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with/that…?
Occupants who have had major renovations to their RHU in the past year are also generally satisfied with the service received, with at least six in ten who are very or somewhat satisfied with all four aspects of service.
There has been a dip in strong satisfaction with the contractor arriving when promised (39%, down from 44%), and an increase in being very satisfied with their post-job clean-up (32%, up from 23%). The other measures have similar strong satisfaction to 2020.
Very satisfied with most recent major renovations
Among those who have had major renovations done in past year
Service aspect | 2023 Online % (n=401) | 2020 Online % (n=128) |
Contractor arrived when promised | 39 | 44 |
How contractor cleaned up after renovation | 32 | 23 |
How quickly renovation was done | 31 | 34 |
Quality of renovation | 29 | 27 |
Q28. Thinking about the major renovation that has been done most recently, were you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with/that…?
Strong satisfaction with each aspect of major renovations is higher among single/widowed/divorced occupants, those who have occupied their current RHU for one year or less, and, as with minor repairs, with those who are very satisfied with their current RHU, or who rate CFHA service as excellent or good.
Over eight in ten occupants are aware of, and over half have used, the emergency after-hours response service (EAHRS). There continues to be widespread satisfaction with the call centre service and with the contractor’s services.
Over eight in ten (83%) occupants have heard of the emergency after-hours response service provided by CFHA, comparable to 2020, and over half (56%, up 6 percentage points) have ever called it.
Awareness and use of after-hours emergency service
Awareness | 2023 Online % (n=2,269) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Aware of emergency after-hours response services | 83 | 84 |
Use | (n=1,872) | (n=609) |
Use of emergency after-hours response services | 56 | 50 |
Q29. Have you ever heard of the after-hours emergency service? Q30. Have you ever called for after-hours emergency service?
Awareness of the EAHRS is generally high across subgroups, but is higher among married or common law occupants, those with children in the home even part-time, Senior NCM’s, those in single or semi-detached RHUs, those who have lied in their current RHU for more than three years, and those who have also lived in the community.
Awareness of this service increases as household income increases, from a low of 66 percent with under
$50,000 to 86% with $100,000 or more, and it also increases with the number of previous DND RHUs lived in (from 75% who are in their first now, up to 93% who have lived in four or more).
Use of the EAHRS is also fairly similar across subgroups, but understandable is higher among the same groups that have higher awareness of it.
Close to eight in ten (78%) users of the EAHRS are satisfied to some extent with the service they received from call centre staff: over half are very satisfied (52%) and another quarter are somewhat satisfied (25%). These results are fairly similar to 2020.
Satisfaction with call centre staff
Among those who have ever called for EAHRS
Satisfaction | 2023 Online % (n=1,045) | 2020 Online % (n=308) |
Very satisfied | 52 | 57 |
Somewhat satisfied | 25 | 23 |
Not very satisfied | 12 | 13 |
Not at all satisfied | 10 | 7 |
Q31. Were you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the service you received from call centre staff?
The relatively small group of users who were less than satisfied with the service they received from call centre staff were asked to type in why they did not feel more satisfied. The most common reasons continue to be a slow response or difficulty getting through (29%, up from 24%) or that the problem did not get fixed (22%, up from 14%) Under two in ten mention being dissatisfied because no help is available on weekends or after hours (16%), or that their problem was not deemed an emergency (15%).
Reasons for not being more satisfied with service received from call centre staff (top mentions 3% or more)
Among those not satisfied with service
Reason | 2023 Online % (n=394) | 2020 Online % (n=131) |
Slow response/difficult to get through | 29 | 24 |
Not helpful/could not fix problem | 22 | 14 |
No help on weekend/after hours | 16 | 19 |
Problem not deemed emergency/urgent | 15 | 12 |
Not courteous/rude | 11 | 13 |
Staff not knowledgeable | 4 | 7 |
Had to pay for service/repairs/take care of the problem myself | 4 | |
Not local/had to contact many different outside sources | 4 | 3 |
Service was okay/met expectations | 4 | 2 |
Repairs were badly done/poor quality | 3 | 6 |
Lack of information/details of when repairs would be done | 3 | - |
Issue not properly fixed/problem kept reoccurring | 3 | - |
No accommodations during wait/repair | 3 | - |
Q32. Why were you not more satisfied with the service you received from the call centre staff?
Consistent with 2020, over seven in ten calls to the EAHRS resulted in a contractor coming to do repairs. This proportion is similar across the occupant populations and it increases with the number of previous RHUs lived in (from 68% for whom it is their first, up to 76% who have had four or more previous DND homes).
Contractor came to RHU for emergency service
Among those who have ever called for emergency after-hours response service
Contractor visit | 2023 Online % (n=1,039) | 2020 Online % (n=308) |
Yes | 72 | 72 |
No | 28 | 27 |
Q33. And did the call to the after-hours emergency service result in a contractor coming to your home to do repairs?
Nine in ten (89%) users of the EAHRS who had a contractor dispatched to their RHU are satisfied with the service they received (70% are very satisfied, basically unchanged from 2020). Understandably, level of satisfaction with the EAHRS received is linked to satisfaction with the current RHU and with CFHA service overall, but over three- quarters (77%) of those who rate CFHA customer service as poor or very poor are still satisfied to some extent with their emergency service contractor.
Satisfaction with service from emergency service contractor
Among those who have had contractor come for emergency after-hours response service
Satisfaction | 2023 Online % (n=758) | 2020 Online % (n=225) |
Very satisfied | 70 | 69 |
Somewhat satisfied | 19 | 23 |
Not very satisfied | 7 | 6 |
Not at all satisfied | 3 | 1 |
Q34. Were you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the service you received from the contractor who did the repairs?
Users of the service who were less than satisfied with the contractor indicate several reasons for this, including that the repairs took too long (32%, up from 21% in 2020), that they were not knowledgeable or were unprofessional (16%), that the repairs were poorly done (14%, down from 27%) or that the contractor left a mess (13%, up from 7%). Fewer than in 2020 indicate they were not courteous
Reasons for being less satisfied with service received from contractor (top mentions 3% or more)
Among those not satisfied with service
Reason | 2023 Online % (n=165) | 2020 Online % (n=68) |
Took too long to fix problems/slow | 32 | 21 |
Not knowledgeable/unprofessional | 16 | - |
Repairs were badly done/poor quality | 14 | 27 |
Left a mess/did not clean up | 13 | 7 |
Repairs were temporary not permanent /problem reoccurred and had to be fixed several times | 11 | - |
Not helpful/could not fix problem | 8 | 8 |
Poor work resulted in further issues | 7 | - |
Not courteous/rude | 5 | 13 |
Didn't come back to finish/repairs never completed | 5 | - |
Service was okay/met expectations | 3 | 3 |
Understaffed/wrong tools/equipment | 3 | 11 |
Q35. Why were you not more satisfied with the service you received from the contractor?
Six in ten occupants definitely or probably know how to report concerns about CFHA service, and four percent of all occupants have used the process. Among this group, over four in ten are satisfied to some extent with how the complaint was handled.
Just over six in ten (62%) believe they know how to report concerns about CFHA service, and one-quarter (26%) say they definitely know how to do this, a very similar result to 2020. Just under four in ten (38%) are not aware of the process.
Familiarity with how to report complaints or concerns
Familiar | 2023 Online % (n=2,263) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Yes, definitely/think so | 62 | 63 |
Yes, definitely | 26 | 28 |
Yes, I think so | 36 | 35 |
No | 38 | 36 |
Q36. Are you familiar with how to report concerns or complaints that you might have had about CFHA service?
Familiarity with how to report concerns or complaints (definitely or think so) is fairly similar across the occupant population, but higher among the following groups:
Age 45 and over (72%)
Anglophones (64%, vs. 54% French speakers)
Have also lived in the community (65%)
Very satisfied with their current RHU (77%); RHU is better or the same condition as other DND RHUs (67%, vs. 55% who think it is worse)
Rate CFHA customer service as excellent/good (72%).
Among those who are familiar with how to report a complaint or concern (n=1,415), fewer than one in ten (7%) report ever having used the complaint resolution process, representing four percent of all occupants. Use of this is low across the occupant population, but is predictably higher among those who are not very or at all satisfied with their current RHU (14%), those who think their housing is worse than other CAF housing (11%), those who feel their housing detracts from their quality of life (12%) and those who rate CFHA customer service as poor or very poor (18%).
Just over four in ten (44%) of those who submitted a complaint (n=98) say they are satisfied with how it was handled (15% very satisfied), a majority of 56 percent are not very or at all satisfied with the outcome of this. Although the base of those in this situation in 2020 from the online survey is small (n=27), the result was identical. Among those who are less than satisfied with how their complaint was handled (n=70), the main common reason is that CFHA was not willing to help or ignored the complaint (41%).
In addition to evaluating CFHA service overall, the survey explored occupants’ experience with and views about CFHA communications.
Eight in ten occupants indicate they are familiar with the CFHA Occupant Handbook. Familiarity continues to be associated with previous experiences with DND housing.
Eight in ten (79%, up four percentage points from 2020) occupants are at least somewhat familiar with CFHA’s Occupant Handbook; two in ten are very familiar. Two in ten (21%) are not very or at all familiar.
Familiarity with CFHA Occupant Handbook
Familiar | 2023 Online % (n=2,251) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Somewhat or very | 79 | 75 |
Very familiar | 21 | 19 |
Somewhat familiar | 58 | 56 |
Not very familiar | 17 | 20 |
Not at all familiar | 4 | 5 |
Q40. In general, how familiar do you feel you are with CFHA’s Occupant Handbook, which provides DND housing occupants with information on the range of support services available and outlines the basic rights and responsibilities of living in DND housing?
As previously, familiarity with the Occupant Handbook increases as the number of RHUs lived in increases (from 74% in their first RHU, up to 91% who have previously lived in 4 or more RHUs). Being at least somewhat familiar with the Handbook is higher among the following groups:
Where both the responding occupant and their spouse/partner are CAF members (86%)
Age 45 and over (92%)
Anglophones (81%, vs. 70% Francophone)
Navy (85%)
Urban bases (82%)
Single and semi-detached RHUs (81%, vs. 75% other types)
Have also lived in the community (81%).
Majorities of those who are dissatisfied with their current RHU, think their RHU is in worse condition than other DND housing, or that is takes away from their CAF quality of life are less likely than others to be familiar with the Handbook, but still, three-quarter majorities of these are familiar.
Recall of any CFHA communications has increased since 2020 to over eight in ten occupants. Among occupants surveyed online, e-mail is the preferred method for receiving both general and critical information.
Recall of communications. Over eight in ten occupants (84%) report having received a communication from CFHA within the past year, up from seven in ten (71%) in 2020. This includes almost three-quarters (73%, up 16 points) who recall a newsletter and over half (56%, up 11) who recall a Notice or Advisory.
Types of CFHA communications received in past year
Communication received | 2023 Online % (n=2,266) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Any | 84 | 71 |
Newsletter | 73 | 57 |
Notices or Advisories | 56 | 45 |
Q41. In the past year, have you received any of the following from CFHA?
Recall of at least one of these CFHA communications increases as household income increases, and is higher among Francophones (91%) than Anglophones (82%). Recall is somewhat lower among those on Navy bases (71%) than other types (84% to 87%). Being aware of at least one communication is higher among those who have lived in at least one previous DND RHU (87%) than those who are in their first (80%).
Having seen at least one CFHA communication is higher among those who are at least somewhat satisfied with their current RHU, who think their RHU is better than other CAF housing, who rate CFHA customer service as excellent/good or acceptable, and those who are very or somewhat familiar with the CFHA Occupant Handbook.
Preferred method of communication for critical information. Occupants (for whom an e-mail address was available to be invited to the survey) continue to prefer e-mail as the means by which they receive critical information about emergency or urgent issues (67%). Another one-quarter (23%) would prefer text notifications. Fewer than one in ten would prefer other electronic methods of obtaining critical information.
E-mail is the top response across the occupant population, but is somewhat higher among those who are CAF members themselves (68%, vs. 59% of spouses/partners), those who have been in their RHU for more than three years (70%), and those who have not had work done on their RHU in the past year (71%, vs. 65% who had work done).
Preferred method for receiving critical CFHA information
Method of notification | 2023 Online % (n=2,245) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
By e-mail | 67 | 64 |
By text notification | 23 | 25 |
An app created by DND or CAF | 7 | 7 |
By visiting their web site | 3 | 2 |
By social media, such as Twitter | 1 | 1 |
Q47a. If you could choose any of the following ways to receive critical information from the CFHA about emergency or urgent issues, which one would you prefer most?
Preferred method of communication for general information. Occupants responding to an online survey understandably indicate a clear preference for digital distribution of information about general issues. Eight in ten (82%, slightly up from 78%) prefer e-mail; relatively few prefer the CFHA website (7%) or social media (1%). In this wave, under one in ten (8%) prefer regular mail, and this proportion has declined since 2020 (down 5 points). While most subgroup differences are not notable, those who recall receiving CFHA communications in the past year are more likely (83%) than those who do not (76%) to prefer email; a higher proportion of the latter indicate a preference for regular mail (13% vs. 7%).
Preferred method for receiving general CFHA information
Method of notification | 2023 Online % (n=2,236) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
By e-mail | 82 | 78 |
By mail | 8 | 13 |
By visiting their web site | 7 | 5 |
Town Hall | 2 | 1 |
By social media, such as Twitter | 1 | 3 |
Q47b. If you could choose any of the following ways to receive general information from the CFHA about housing issues and policies, which one would you prefer most?
Among the three in ten occupants who moved into an RHU in the past year, six in ten recall receiving a Digital Welcome Kit; almost all found it at least somewhat helpful. There is considerable interest in a Digital Exit Kit.
Receipt of a DWK. Three in ten respondents to the survey moved-in to an RHU in the past year; seven in ten did not. Just under two in ten – 18 percent of the total (and 60% of those who moved-in) received a DWK; around one in ten (12%) moved-in but do not recall receiving this (40% of recent movers).
Digital Welcome Kit received in past year
Received DWK | 2023 Online % (n=2,215) |
Yes, moved-in to an RHU and received a DWK | 18 |
No, moved-in to an RHU and did not receive a DWK | 12 |
Did not move-in to an RHU in the past year | 69 |
Q41d. If you moved-in to an RHU the past year, did you receive a Digital Welcome Kit (DWK)?
Having received a DWK is similar across most subgroups, but somewhat higher among Francophones, Officers (Junior and Senior), and is linked to rating the CFHA as excellent/good, and to being very satisfied with the current RHU and thinking it is in better shape than other DND housing or that to adds to their quality of life.
Helpfulness of DWK. Almost all of those who recall getting a DWK say it was very (38%) or somewhat (54%) helpful; fewer than one in ten thought it unhelpful. Strong majorities of all subgroups considered it helpful. Considering it very helpful is higher among Anglophones and is linked to higher satisfaction with the current RHU and with CFHA customer service in general, and to being very familiar with the Occupant Handbook.
Helpfulness of the Digital Welcome Kit
Among those who received a DWK in the past year
Helpfulness of DWK | 2023 Online % (n=408) |
NET: Very/somewhat helpful | 92 |
Very helpful | 38 |
Somewhat helpful | 54 |
Not very helpful | 8 |
Not at all helpful | <1 |
Q41e. How helpful was the Digital Welcome Kit?
Additional information to improve DWK. Those who rated the DWK as less than very helpful were asked what additional information would augment it. The top requests by around one in ten each, are for more information about the area beyond the base, a list of what is available in the RHU and how to use it, a list of maintenance services provided, and how to request them. Just over one-third do not provide a suggestion or volunteer they didn’t read it.
Additional information to make Digital Welcome Kit more helpful
Among those who received a DWK in the past year and rated it as less than very helpful
Additional information for DWK | 2023 Online % (n=76) |
More information about the area outside the base | 11 |
A list of what is available in the RHU and how to use it | 10 |
List of services provided for RHU maintenance/repairs | 9 |
Available services and how to apply to them/request them | 8 |
Contact information | 7 |
Make it easier to read | 6 |
More resources for home care | 2 |
Other mentions (<2% each) | 12 |
No suggestions/seems fine | 10 |
Don’t know/didn’t read it | 36% |
Q41f. What additional information would make the DWK more helpful?
Interest in Digital Exit Kit (DEK). Eight in ten occupants would be very (43%) or somewhat (38%) interested in a Digital Exit Kit (DEK) to help them transition out of their current RHU; two in ten would not be interested.
Level of interest in Digital Exit Kit
Interest in DEK | 2023 Online % (n=2,240) |
NET: Very/somewhat interested | 81 |
Very interested | 43 |
Somewhat interested | 38 |
Not very interested | 9 |
Not at all interested | 9 |
Q41g. How interested would you be in a Digital Exit Kit (DEK) to help you transition out of your current RHU when the time comes?
Interest in a DEK is fairly similar across most subgroups, but higher among the following:
Household incomes of $50,000 or more (83%)
Officers (89% Junior, 90% Senior)
In current RHU three years or less (83%)
Very or somewhat satisfied with current RHU (85%)
Current RHU in better shape than other DND housing (86%) or adds to quality of life (86%)
CFHA customer service is excellent/good (86%)
Two-thirds of occupants responding to the online survey have visited the CFHA website. Website visitors are most likely to have been looking for general information or contact information.
Two-thirds of occupants responding to the online survey have ever visited the CFHA website, a six point increase for 2020. One-quarter of these (26%) have visited in the past six months. Proportions are generally similar across the occupant population; having visited within the past six months is highest among those who have lived in their current RHU for a year or less.
Timing of last visit to CFHA website
Timing of last visit | 2023 Online % (n=2,258) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Have ever visited | 66 | 60 |
In the past month | 8 | 7 |
Over a month ago but within the past six months | 18 | 14 |
Over six months ago | 41 | 40 |
Never | 34 | 39 |
Q42. Have you visited the CFHA website….?
Those who have visited the CFHA website (n=1,498) were shown multiple reasons they may have gone to the website and asked to indicate why they visited. The most common reasons are for general information (47%, unchanged) and for contact information (40%, up substantially from 28%), to learn about CFHA policies (32%, up from 28%) or for information about housing when moving to a new base (29%, down from 35%). Fewer indicate other reasons for visiting the site. One in ten indicate it was to use the new Occupant services section.
Reasons for visiting CFHA website on last visit
Among those who have ever visited the CFHA website
Reason for web site visit | 2023 Online % (n=1,498) | 2020 Online % (n=442) |
General information | 47 | 47 |
For contact information | 40 | 28 |
To find out about CFHA policies/rules | 32 | 28 |
To find out about housing when moving to new base | 29 | 35 |
Curiosity/to familiarize myself | 20 | 15 |
For floor plans or photos | 19 | 20 |
To access the new Occupant services section | 9 | n/a |
Other | 5 | 3 |
Don’t know/no answer | - | 2 |
Q43. Thinking about your most recent visit, for what reasons did you visit the CFHA website?
Six percent are aware of CFHA’s Twitter account, similar to four percent in 2020; this level is largely similar across subgroups of the occupant population.
Aware of CFHA’s Twitter account
CFHA Twitter account awareness | 2023 Online % (n=2,239) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Yes | 6 | 4 |
No | 94 | 95 |
Don’t know/no answer | - | 1 |
Q48. Did you know that CFHA has a Twitter account which provides general information about the Agency?
Under one in five are aware of the new Services to Occupants section; six in ten who are aware have used it to submit at least one online form, and almost all of these were satisfied with that process.
Awareness of Services to Occupants section. Sixteen percent of occupants say they are familiar with the new Services to Occupants section of the CFHA web site. This proportion is fairly similar across subgroups.
Aware of Services to Occupants section of CFHA website
Services to Occupants section awareness | 2023 Online % (n=2,245) |
Yes | 16 |
No | 84 |
Q50a. Did you know the CFHA website now has a new section, Services to Occupants, that includes new online forms?
Use of Services to Occupants section. Six in ten (62%) of those aware of the new Services to Occupants section have used it to submit at least one online form, with the most common being a repair or maintenance form (38%), followed by application for DND housing and extended absence forms, at one-quarter each. Fewer have used it to update their household information.
Forms submitted via Services to Occupants section Among those aware of the section
Form submitted via Services to Occupants section | 2023 Online % (n=362) |
NET: Any form submitted | 62 |
Repair or maintenance request | 38 |
Applying for DND housing | 25 |
Extended absence from the RHU | 25 |
Household information update (e.g. contact information, change in household size, change of rank) | 12 |
No form submitted | 38 |
Q50b. Have you submitted one or more of the following forms using the Services to Occupants section of the website?
Using the new section to submit specific online forms is quite similar across subgroups, with a few exceptions. Submitting a repair or maintenance request is higher among married or common law occupants (43%) than single/widowed/divorced (26%); the latter are more likely than the former to have submitted an online form for extended absence (36% vs 20%). Submitting an online form to apply for DND housing is also, understandably, more likely to have been done by those who have been in their RHU for a year or less (56%).
Satisfaction with process of submitting forms via the Use of Services to Occupants section. Those who have submitted at least one online form using the new Services to Occupants section were asked to rate their satisfaction with the submission process. Nine in ten are satisfied overall, and just under six in ten are very satisfied. One in ten are unsatisfied. Sizes for many subgroups are small, but satisfaction is similarly strong among users.
Satisfaction with form submission process using the Services to Occupants section Among those who submitted any form
Satisfaction with Services to Occupants forms submission process | 2023 Online % (n=228) |
NET: Very/somewhat satisfied | 90 |
Very satisfied | 56 |
Somewhat satisfied | 34 |
Not very satisfied | 7 |
Not at all satisfied | 3 |
Q50c. Of the forms you have submitted using the Services to Occupants section, how satisfied were you with the process of submission?
Likelihood of using Use of Services to Occupants portal to access services. Occupants were asked how likely they would be to use the self-service portal to access specific services if available. Three-quarters would be at least somewhat likely, and around four in ten very likely, to use the portal to submit a notice of intent to vacate or to apply for activities requiring approval; four in ten would be at least somewhat likely (and one-quarter very likely) to use it to apply for a home-based business.
Likelihood of using the Services to Occupants portal to access services
2023 | ||
Online % | ||
Likely to access services through the portal | (n=2,237) | |
Net: Likely (very/somewhat) | Very likely | |
Submit a notice of intent to vacate from RHU | 74 | 43 |
Apply for activities requiring HSC approval (e.g., erecting/installing fences, pools, sheds) | 73 | 41 |
Submit an application for a Home-Based Business | 41 | 23 |
Q49. If you were able to access the following CFHA services through the online self- service portal, how likely would you be to do each?
Being at least somewhat likely to do all three things is higher among occupants who are married or in a common law relationship, and those who have children in their home full time. Being likely to submit an online notice to vacate or apply for activities requiring approval is somewhat higher among occupants in the Navy, those in single or semi-detached RHU, those who have lived in more than one RHU, and those who rate the CFHA’s services as excellent or good.
Half of occupants rate CFHA’s communications efforts as excellent or good, identical to 2020. Those who are less than satisfied report poor customer service and staff not being communicative.
Positive opinions about how CFHA communicates with CAF members and their household about housing issues were maintained over the pandemic period. Half indicate the CFHA does an excellent or good job, and an additional one-third (34%) say communications are acceptable. A minority of 12 percent give the CFHA a poor or very poor rating in this area.
Rating of CFHA’s communications
Rating | 2023 Online % (n=2,249) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
NET: Excellent or good | 51 | 51 |
Excellent | 13 | 16 |
Good | 37 | 35 |
Acceptable | 34 | 32 |
Poor | 8 | 9 |
Very poor | 4 | 5 |
Q44. Overall, how well do you think the CFHA communicates information related to housing to CAF members and their families? Are CFHA communications…?
Majorities of many subgroups provide positive ratings (excellent/good) of CFHA communications, but these are higher among the following groups:
Age 45 or older (69%)
Household income $200,000 and over (58%)
Francophone (73%)
Senior Officers (72%)
Those living on urban bases (57%)
Have been in their RHU for one year or less (56%) or have also lived in the community (54%).
Positive ratings remain linked to being to be satisfied with CFHA service overall, and to being very satisfied with their current RHU.
Why excellent/good. Occupants who rate CFHA’s communications as excellent or good are most likely to say it is because they have received information through different methods (16%, somewhat down from 2020) or that communications are timely (16%, comparable to 18%). They also appreciate advance notice of repairs and events, and like that communications are sent regularly.
Why CFHA communications “excellent/good” (top reasons 3% or more) Among those rate CFHA communications as “excellent” or “good”
Reason for rating of CFHA communications | 2023 Online % (n=826) | 2020 Online % (n=371) |
Get information through mail/newsletters/email | 16 | 23 |
Quick/timely/up to date information | 16 | 18 |
Sending notices/alerts in advance to repairs / upgrades/things happening in the community | 14 | - |
Regularly communicating/good frequency of informative emails | 14 | - |
Satisfied with the information/service received | 10 | - |
Give useful/helpful information | 8 | 6 |
Provide all of the information I need | 6 | - |
Information is clear/easy to understand | 6 | 5 |
Good service/communication | 5 | - |
Inform us when policies/rents/things are changing | 5 | 2 |
Reminders for seasonal work are sent regularly | 4 | 2 |
Have received information from the HSC | 4 | 5 |
Get information after the fact/ too late | 3 | - |
Have received materials explaining housing matters | 3 | 2 |
Could be better/room for improvement | 3 | - |
Q45a. Why do you say [excellent/good]?
Why acceptable. Among occupants who rate CFHA communications as acceptable, the most common comments in this wave are that it is okay (16%) or to provide a mention about subsequent customer service (13%). Fewer than in 2020 indicate there could be more information provided. Other comments include the communications being too general and seeming like spam or that it comes late.
Why CFHA communications “acceptable” (top responses 3% or more) Among those rate CFHA communications as “acceptable”
Reason for rating of CFHA communications | 2023 Online % (n=476) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Communication is OK/as good as can be expected | 16 | 7 |
Poor customer service (not friendly/ don't respond) | 13 | - |
Not enough information/could be more | 9 | 16 |
Just general emails/information is being sent /nothing specific/feels like spam email | 7 | - |
Get information after the fact/too late | 6 | 7 |
Have received information from the HSC/been kept in the loop | 6 | - |
Have not received information recently/for a while/never had any | 4 | - |
Information is unclear/could be better explained/more accurate | 4 | 4 |
Satisfied with the information/service received | 4 | - |
Sending notices/alerts in advance to repairs/upgrades/things happening in the community | 3 | - |
Quick/timely up to date information | 3 | - |
Hard to find/get information | 3 | - |
Q45b. Why do you say acceptable?
Why poor. Occupants who rate CFHA communications as poor or very poor in this wave mainly point to poor customer service (34%, comparable to 2020). Fewer than in 2020 say CFHA is uncommunicative (18%, down from 45%), softening this to saying they have not heard from them recently (12%). One in ten mention getting information late.
Why CFHA communications “poor/very poor”
Among those rate CFHA communications as “poor” or “very poor”
Reason for rating of CFHA communications | 2023 Online % (n=209) | 2020 Online % (n=100) |
Poor customer service (not friendly, don't respond) | 34 | 35 |
Uncommunicative/don't tell you what is going on | 18 | 45 |
Have not received information recently/for a while | 12 | 1 |
Get information after the fact/ too late | 10 | |
Only contact you regarding rent increases | 7 | 5 |
Information is unclear/could be better explained/more accurate | 5 | 2 |
Just general emails/information is being sent /nothing specific/feels like spam email | 5 | - |
Dissatisfied with the information received | 4 | 7 |
Inconsistent information | 4 | 1 |
Website is not user friendly/can't find everything Ineed | 3 | - |
Hard to find/get information | 3 | 4 |
Not enough information/could be more | 3 | 18 |
Q45c. Why do you say [poor/very poor]?
Compared to 2020, there is more interest among online respondents in most types of information about DND housing; the top needs are advance notice of work to be done to the RHU, and increases or changes in rent.
Online respondents were shown a list of specific types of information about DND housing and asked which they might want to receive from CFHA; multiple options could be selected. Two-thirds express interest in receiving advance notice of work to be done to their RHU, over six in ten would like to see information on rent changes, and just under six in ten would want to know when requested repairs will be done, information about urgent issues, such as watermain breaks, or future RHU details. Fewer than half indicate other specific types of information. Interest in most topics is elevated over 2020.
Interest in specific types of DND housing information
Type of housing information | 2023 Online % (n=2,223) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Advance notice of work to be done to my rental | 66 | 60 |
Increases/changes in rent | 63 | 60 |
When requested repairs will be done | 57 | 50 |
Information about urgent issues | 56 | 54 |
Future plans for RHUs/development | 55 | 53 |
How rent is determined | 47 | 43 |
General information/updates | 44 | 42 |
How to request repairs/maintenance | 40 | 34 |
How to make a complaint/complaint resolution process | 38 | 34 |
Policies/rules/regulations | 38 | 32 |
Specific information about the house I live in (various) | 37 | 33 |
Emergency after hours service | 36 | 29 |
How housing is allocated | 34 | 30 |
What is CFHA/what is it responsible for | 31 | 29 |
None/don't know/no answer | 6 | 10 |
Q46. What specific types of information about DND housing do you want to receive from the CFHA?
Topics of interest are generally similar across subgroups, with some exceptions. Wanting to know about how rent is determined is higher among those with lower household incomes, while those with higher incomes are more likely to want to hear about advance notice of work and when requested repairs will be done.
The survey included a small number of questions related to the impact of living in DND housing on the quality of life for CAF members and their households.
The majority of occupants who responded to the survey are married or common-law and half have children under age 18 at home at least part time. For those with other household members, well-being remains an important part of the decision to live in DND housing. Occupants continue to feel the distance between home and regular destinations like work and school is reasonable.
Household composition. Two-thirds of occupants who responded to the survey (68%) are married, common-law or living as a couple; the remainder are single (never married; 19%) or separated/divorced (10%). One in five live alone in their RHU, with two-thirds having another adult household member and one in ten having another military member in the RHU. Half of occupants (51%) have children under 18 who live with them all or part-time of the time. The mean number of people in an RHU is 2.90.
Just four percent of married occupants report their household is temporarily divided between bases.
If household is temporaily divided
Among those who are married/common law (82% of occupants)
Household living in | 2023 Online % (n=1,525) | 2020 Online % (n=515) |
Same location | 93 | 93 |
Temporarily divided | 4 | 5 |
Prefer not to answer | 2 | 2 |
Q52d. Just to confirm, is your household (2020: family) currently living in the same location, or is the family temporarily divided between different bases or wings?
Household well-being. Household well-being remains an important consideration in the decision to live in DND housing. Just under four in ten (37%) occupants with other household members say well-being is the main reason they choose DND housing, and close to half (45%) say it is an important reason, if not the main one.
These results are very consistent with the online survey of 2020.
Extent to which decision to live in DND housing related to household well-being Among those with other household members (85% of occupants)
Living in DND housing related to household well being | 2023 Online % (n=1,581) | 2020 Online % (n=538) |
Main reason | 37 | 34 |
Important reason but not the main one | 45 | 45 |
Not too important | 19 | 20 |
Q52a. To what extent was your decision to live in DND housing related to your household (2020: family) well-being? Was it the main reason, an important reason but not the main one or not too important?
The following groups are the most likely to say their choice of DND housing is mainly related to household well- being:
Spouse/partner is also a CAF member (44%)
Children in the home part time (45%)
Household income under $50,000 (56%)
Navy members (50%)
Urban base location (41%)
In current RHU one year or less (42%)
Did not consider buying in the community (45%)
Very satisfied with current housing (50%)
RHU adds to quality of life (50%)
CFHA customer service is excellent/good (42%)
Very familiar with CFHA Occupant Handbook (43%).
Overall, majorities of occupants with other household members continue to indicate the distance between home and other places is reasonable, in terms of impact on overall quality of life. Nine in ten (92%) say their work location is a reasonable distance, similar to 2020, and close to nine in ten (85%) say this about shopping access (also basically unchanged). Over eight in ten say recreation is reasonably close (82%) and a similar proportion of those with children say their child’s school or daycare is a reasonable distance (83%, up from 77 percent in 2020). Seven in ten who are living with a spouse or partner say that person’s work is a reasonable distance.
Whether distance from home to various places is reasonable
Reasonable distance to… | 2023 Online % (n=1,579) | 2020 Online % (n=726) |
Your work location | 92 | 95% |
Shopping, such as grocery stores and malls | 85 | 84% |
Child's school or daycare (Among those with children – n=1,013 in 2023) | 83 | 77% |
Recreation, such as restaurants, theatres, arenas | 82 | 81% |
Your spouse’s/partner’s work location (Among those who are married/common law – n=1,348 in 2023) | 69 | 71% |
Q52c. Thinking about the impact on your household’s (2020: family’s) overall quality of life, is the distance between home and each of the following places reasonable or not reasonable to you?
Respondent who are themselves CAF members are more likely than those who are spouses/partners to say most places as being a reasonable distance, with the except of spouse/partner work, where the spouses/partners are
in fact more likely to indicate this is reasonable (90%). Saying each location is a reasonable distance is highest among those with household incomes of $100,000 or more, those who are very satisfied with their current RHU. And those who rate CFHA’s customer service as excellent or good.
The results of the survey are based on an online survey conducted with 2,317 occupants of DND housing. As this was an attempted census of the occupant population, no margin of sampling error is calculated.
A master list of 10,046 records of occupant households (as of December 2022) was provided by DND to Environics. Occupants who did not have a valid email address were removed, as were records with duplicate emails and any vacant/generic RHUs. This left an unduplicated contact list of 9,724 records.
The online questionnaire was primarily based on the previous online survey in 2020 to ensure data could be tracked over time. Some questions were altered or added in order to collect information about new communication approaches, but the survey length was largely consistent with the 2020 wave.
Upon approval of the changes from DND, changes to the questionnaire were translated into French using Environics’ professional translators.
After it was programmed by DND, extensive testing of the online survey was conducted by DND and a ‘soft launch’ was completed with a subset of the total online list to ensure email invitations were being sent properly and to verify that the online survey was collecting respondent data accurately. As a result of the feedback, some minor changes were made to the flow and programming of the survey before going ahead with the full launch.
The online survey was administered internally by DND from January 18 to February 2, 2023. DND sent the email invitations directly to occupants. DND programmed and hosted the online survey. No targets or quotas were set to allow all occupants who responded to complete the survey. All surveys were conducted in the respondent’s official language of choice. DND sent two reminders during the field period to occupants who had not yet completed the survey to maximize response.
Upon completion of the fieldwork, DND provided Environics with a complete data file containing the data from the completed surveys. From the initial contact list of 9,724 records. Environics cleaned the data, removing cases that only completed the initial screening questions, leaving 2,241 respondents for analysis.
NOTE: As DND programmed the survey to allow respondents to skip any question, the base of each question is those who chose to answer it. The base of people answering any question is shown as follows: n=###
The effective participation rate for the survey is 23 percent.2 This is calculated as the total number of responding units divided by the total number of potentially eligible cases (including those whose eligibility could not be determined). Specifically, it is the total number of responding units (completed surveys plus those who were disqualified because of survey requirements and quotas being filled), divided by unresolved numbers (bounce backs and unanswered emails) plus non-responding units (early break-offs and others who would otherwise qualify for the survey) plus responding participants. The disposition of all contacts is presented in the following table.
Online survey
Disposition | TOTAL |
Total email addresses used | 9,724 |
Invalid (undelivered) | 832 |
Broadcasts delivered | 8,892 |
Unresolved (U) | 7,483 |
Did not respond | 7,483 |
In-scope - Non-responding (IS) | 147 |
Qualified respondent breakoff | 146 |
Respondent refusals | 1 |
In scope responding (R) | 2,241 |
Completed surveys disqualified – quota filled | 0 |
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons | 0 |
Completed surveys | 2,241 |
Contact rate [(R+IS)/ (U + IS + R)] | 24% |
Participation rate [R / (U + IS + R)] | 23% |
A discussion of the potential for non-response bias is not included in this report due to insufficient demographic data available for this population.
2 This response rate calculation comes from the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research—Online Surveys: https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/rop-por/enligne-online-eng.html
The following is the distribution of the completed interviews by base location:
Completions by location
Location | Base Command | Proportion of all CFHA occupants (%) | Completed online surveys (unweighted) |
Bagotville | Air | 3.3% | 3.8% |
Borden | Other | 6.3% | 6.9% |
Cold Lake | Air | 5.2% | 6.3% |
Comox | Air | 2.5% | 2.7% |
Dundurn | Army | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Edmonton | Army | 4.7% | 4.0% |
Esquimalt | Navy | 6.1% | 7.1% |
Gagetown | Army | 12.7% | 9.2% |
Gander | Air | 0.5% | 0.6% |
Goose Bay | Air | 1.9% | 0.6% |
Greenwood | Air | 5.1% | 6.0% |
Halifax | Navy | 3.9% | 3.8% |
Kingston | Army | 4.3% | 5.0% |
Montreal | Army | 1.8% | 2.3% |
Moose Jaw | Air | 1.5% | 1.9% |
North Bay | Air | 1.7% | 1.6% |
Ottawa | Other | 1.2% | 2.1% |
Petawawa | Army | 14.5% | 12.6% |
Shilo | Army | 5.2% | 4.2% |
Suffield | Army | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Trenton | Air | 5.3% | 4.9% |
Valcartier | Army | 5.9% | 5.7% |
Wainwright | Army | 1.3% | 1.5% |
Winnipeg | Air | 3.9% | 5.0% |
Yellowknife | Army | 0.7% | 0.9% |
Masset | Navy | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Iqaluit | Other | 0.01% | 0.0% |
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | |
Army | 51% | 51% | |
Navy | 10% | 10% | |
Air | 31% | 31% | |
Other | 8% | 8% | |
The following is a profile of the final, weighted sample for the 2023 and 2020 online wave by key characteristics:
Sample profile
Sample type | 2023 Online (%) | 2020 Online (%) |
CAF member in household is... | ||
Self | 84 | 82 |
Spouse | 8 | 9 |
Both | 8 | 9 |
Number of years served in CAF | ||
0 to 10 | 41 | 51 |
11 to 20 | 38 | 35 |
21 or more | 17 | 11 |
Marital status | ||
Married, common-law or living together as a couple | 68 | 70 |
Single, never married | 19 | 18 |
Separated/divorced/widowed | 10 | 8 |
Income | ||
< $50K | 4 | 6 |
$50K-<$75K | 29 | 39 |
$75K-<$100K | 33 | 27 |
$100K | 19 | 14 |
Refused | 15 | 13 |
Age* | ||
<25 years | 3 | 6 |
25-34 | 30 | 42 |
35-44 | 26 | 32 |
45 and over | 17 | 14 |
Refused | 24 | 6 |
Gender | ||
Male gender | 72 | 75 |
Female gender | 20 | 21 |
Other | 2 | 2 |
Language of interview | ||
English | 84 | 82 |
French | 16 | 18 |
* Age data are not available for a majority of respondents to the survey
Environics Research October 11, 2022
Canadian Forces Housing Survey 2023 Occupant Survey
Final Questionnaire
Online survey conducted with CF members/partners
LANDING PAGE / PAGE D’ACCUEIL
Welcome and thank you for your interest in our survey / Bienvenue et merci de l’intérêt que vous portez à ce sondage.
Please select your preferred language for completing the survey / Veuillez cocher votre langue préféree pour remplir le sondage
01 – English / Anglais 02 – Français / French
PAGE BREAK
Welcome to the 2023 Department of National Defence (DND) Housing Occupant Satisfaction Survey.
If you don’t have time to complete this survey in one sitting, you can return to it by clicking again on the link provided in the email you received.
Note: If you genuinely have no opinion about a question or cannot answer it, please click through to the next question. There are only a few key questions where your answer will be required in order to move forward.
< PROGRAMMING NOTE: All questions are non-mandatory unless otherwise indicated.>
Introduction Mandatory
To confirm, are you or is your spouse or partner a CAF member?
(If answer is 1, 2 or 3, go to QB, else go to Thank You page)
– Yes, respondent
– Yes, spouse or partner 03 – Yes, both
04 – No, neither
Mandatory
Is it correct that you currently live in DND housing?
(If answer is 1 go to QC, else go to Thank You page)
– Yes
–No
Mandatory
And to confirm, are you 18 years of age or older?
(If answer is 1 go to QA.1. else go to Thank You page)
- Yes
- No
Experience with and Opinions of DND Housing
The first few questions are about your experience with DND housing…
How long have you lived in your current home?
Please select one answer only
01 – Less than six months 02 – Six months to one year 03 – One to two years
04 – Two to three years 05 – Three to five years 06 – More than five years
Have you previously lived in DND housing at another location?
- Yes
– No SKIP TO Q.4
How many different DND-provided Residential Housing Units, or RHUs, have you lived in during [RECALL BASED ON QA=1,3: “Your” / QA=2 “Your spouse/partner’s”] career?
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP THE QUESTION, GO TO Q4.
RHUs [ALLOWABLE RANGE = 1-99]
Have you always lived in DND housing during [RECALL BASED ON QA=1,3: “your” / QA=2 “your spouse/partner’s”] career, or have you also lived in the local community?
– Always lived in DND housing 02 – Also lived in local community
Why have you chosen to live in DND housing?
Please select up to 3 reasons – Survey Developer:
in Variable Properties set “Max” to 3, and
Run Rating Check after publication
[RANDOMIZE LIST] – (Survey Developer - in Variable Properties, set Ordering to “Random”)
– Affordable/less expensive than private housing 02 – Always lived in DND housing
– Location - Convenient to military workplace/base
– Location - Convenient to other amenities (e.g. schools, shopping) 05 – Location – Convenient to transit
06 – Temporary - looking for private housing/short-term posting 07 – Safety/security
08 – Good support network/close military community 09 – Convenience of not having to look/find housing
– No other choice/limited alternatives
– Bigger/nicer house
– For family reasons
– It was available/it was offered
– Other (Please type in) ANCHOR AT BOTTOM
5a. When you were deciding where to live, did you consider buying a home in your area or renting in the community, outside of DND housing?
- Yes
- No
Mandatory
Thinking now generally about what matters to you about where you live, how important are each of the following?
RANDOMIZE A-I – Survey Developer - in Variable Properties, set Ordering to “Random”
The condition of your home, in terms of the state of things like kitchen, bathrooms and flooring
The size of your home or the amount of living space available in your home
The energy efficiency of your home
The safety and security of your home, in terms of things like military or local police presence and the absence of crime.
The neighbourhood or community in which your home is located
How easy it is to access amenities such as shopping, parks and schools
How close your home is to the CAF base or wing
The privacy of your home
An affordable rent
01 – Very important
02 – Somewhat important 03 – Not very important 04 – Not at all important
6k. Which room or feature of your home is most important to the way your household lives?
Please select up to 3. – Survey Developer – in Variable Properties, set Max to 3
RANDOMIZE LIST 01-12 – Survey Developer – in Variable Properties, set Ordering to “Random” and Ordering Count to 12
01 – Kitchen
02 – Living room 03 – Dining room 04 – Bedrooms
– Number of bathrooms 06 – Closet space
07 – Sufficient storage - basement or other 08 – Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)
09 – Air conditioning (AC)
– Yard/outdoor space
– Garage
– The size of the house or number of rooms in the house
– Other (Please type in) ANCHOR AT BOTTOM
Overall, how satisfied are you with your current home? Are you…?
Please select one answer only.
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP THE QUESTION, SKIP TO Q9.
– Very satisfied
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
Why do you say you are [PIPE ANSWER FROM Q7]? Show if Q7 has been responded to, otherwise skip. Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
Mandatory
How satisfied are you are with each of these specific elements of your current home? [RANDOMIZE] - – Survey Developer – in Variable Properties, set Ordering to “Random” - OK
The condition of your home, in terms of the state of things like kitchen, bathrooms and flooring
The size or amount of space of your home
The energy efficiency of your home
The safety and security of your home, in terms of things like military or local police presence and the absence of crime.
The neighbourhood or community in which your home is located
How easy it is to access amenities such as shopping, parks and schools
How close your home is to the CAF base or wing
The privacy of your home
The amount of rent you pay for the housing provided
– Very satisfied
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
From what you know, is the condition of your current home better, worse or about the same as other DND housing across Canada?
– Better
– Worse
– About the same 04 – Not sure
12-13. [DELETED]
Would you say the quality of your current housing adds to, takes away from, or makes no difference to your overall satisfaction with life in the CAF?
– Adds to
– Takes away from
– Makes no difference
14a. How likely are you to recommend DND housing to another CAF member?
– Very likely
– Somewhat likely 03 – Not very likely 04 – Not at all likely
B. CFHA Services
The Canadian Forces Housing Agency, or CFHA, is the organization responsible for operating and maintaining DND housing.
Overall, how would you rate the customer service you have received from CFHA in the past year?
– Excellent
– Good
– Acceptable
– Poor
– Very poor
[DELETED]
What do you like the most about the service you have received from CFHA?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY]
And what do you dislike the most about the service you have received from CFHA?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
Mandatory
Do you consider CFHA to be excellent, good, acceptable, poor or very poor in each of the following areas?
[RANDOMIZE] - – Survey Developer – in Variable Properties, set Ordering to “Random”
Responding promptly to inquiries or requests
Being friendly and courteous
Being knowledgeable about housing issues
Carrying out maintenance or repairs
Being caring and empathetic
Making fair decisions
– Excellent
– Good
– Acceptable
– Poor
– Very poor 06 – Not sure
20-26. [DELETED]
Mandatory
Have you had any of the following done on your current home in the past 12 months? [SHOW IN ORDER/DO NOT RANDOMIZE]
minor repairs, such as replacing the seal of a leaky tap or a sink’s plumbing and hardware
major renovations, such as new kitchen, bathrooms, siding, roofing or windows
– Yes
– No
ASK Q.28 FOR ONLY ONE ITEM AT Q.27. IF ‘YES’ TO BOTH AT Q.27, CHOOSE ONE RANDOMLY. IF ‘NO (CODE 2)’ TO BOTH, SKIP TO Q.29.
IF AN ONLINE RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP EITHER Q27A OR Q27B, AND USE SKIP PATTERNS FOR
DK.
Mandatory
Thinking about the [PIPE IN FROM Q27] minor repairs/major renovations[/] that [PIPE IN FROM Q27] has/have[/] been done most recently, how satisfied were you with each of the following?
the quality of the [PIPE IN FROM Q27] repairs/renovation [/]
how quickly the [PIPE IN FROM Q27] repairs were/renovation was [/] done
the contractor arrived to do the job when promised.
how the contractor cleaned up after the repairs were complete
– Very satisfied
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
Have you ever heard of the Emergency After Hours Service?
IF AN ONLINE RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP EITHER Q29 AND SKIP TO Q36.
– Yes
– No SKIP TO Q.36
When did you last call the Emergency After Hours Service, if ever?
IF AN ONLINE RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP EITHER Q29 AND SKIP TO Q36.
01 – In the past month
02 – Over a month ago but within the past six months 03 – Over six months ago
04 – Never SKIP TO Q.36
How satisfied were you with the service you received from the Emergency After Hours Service call center staff on your most recent call?
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q31, AND SKIP TO Q33. - OK
– Very satisfied SKIP TO Q.33
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
Why were you not more satisfied with the service you received from the Emergency After Hours Service call center staff on your most recent call?
Please be as specific as possible.]
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
Did the call to the Emergency After Hours Service result in a contractor coming to your home to do repairs?
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q33, AND SKIP TO Q36.
– Yes
– No SKIP TO Q.36
How satisfied were you with the service you received from the contractor who did the repairs? IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q34, AND SKIP TO Q36.
– Very satisfied SKIP TO Q.36
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
Why were you not more satisfied with the service you received from the contractor?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
Are you familiar with how to report concerns or complaints that you might have about CFHA service? IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q36, AND SKIP TO Q40.
01 – Yes, definitely 02 – Yes, I think so 03 – No SKIP TO Q.40
Have you ever used the occupant complaint resolution process?
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q37, AND SKIP TO Q40.
– Yes
– No SKIP TO Q.40
Overall, how satisfied were you with how your complaint was handled? IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q38, AND SKIP TO Q40.
– Very satisfied SKIP TO Q.40
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
Why were you not more satisfied with how your complaint was handled?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
C. CFHA Communications
In general, how familiar do you feel you are with CFHA’s Occupant Handbook, which provides DND housing occupants with information on the range of support services available and outlines the basic rights and responsibilities of living in DND housing?
– Very familiar
– Somewhat familiar 03 – Not very familiar 04 – Not at all familiar
Mandatory
In the past year, have you received any of the following from CFHA? [RANDOMIZE]
Notices or Advisories, such as boil water advisories or notices about watermain breaks
A newsletter, including tips and tricks and other general information
– Yes
– No
41c. [DELETED] NEW IN 2023
41d. If you moved-in to an RHU the past year, did you receive a Digital Welcome Kit (DWK)?
Please select one only.
– Yes, moved-in to an RHU and received a DWK
– No, moved-in to an RHU and did not receive a DWK 03 – Did not move-in to an RHU in the past year
NEW IN 2023
41e. [IF CODE 01 AT 41d] How helpful was the Digital Welcome Kit?
Please select one only.
– Very helpful
– Somewhat helpful 03 – Not very helpful 04 – Not at all helpful
NEW IN 2023
41f. [IF CODE 02, 03 OR 04 AT 41E] What additional information would make the DWK more helpful?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY NEW IN 2023
41g. [ASK ALL] How interested would you be in a Digital Exit Kit (DEK) to help you transition out of your current RHU when the time comes?
Please select one only.
– Very interested
– Somewhat interested 03 – Not very interested 04 – Not at all interested
Have you visited the CFHA website…?
The website address is www.canada.ca/military-housing.
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q42, SKIP TO Q44.
01 – In the past month
02 – Over a month ago but within the past six months 03 – Over six months ago
04 – Never SKIP TO Q.44
Thinking about your most recent visit, for what reasons did you visit the CFHA website?
Please select all that apply
RANDOMIZE LIST 01-12
01 – To find out about housing when moving to new base 02 – To find out about CFHA policies/rules
03 – For contact information 04 – General information
05 – Curiosity/to familiarize myself 06 – For floor plans or photos
07 – To access the new Occupant services section
08 – Other (Please type in) ANCHOR AT BOTTOM
Overall, how well do you think the CFHA communicates information related to housing to CAF members and their families? Are CFHA communications…?
IF RESPONDENT CHOOSES TO SKIP Q44, AND SKIP TO Q46.
– Excellent
– Good
– Acceptable
– Poor
– Very poor
– Not sure SKIP TO Q.46
Why did you rate CFHA communications as [PIPE ANSWER TO Q. 44]?
Please be as specific as possible.
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX ONLY
What specific types of information about DND housing do you want to receive from the CFHA?
Please select all that apply
01 – How rent is determined 02 – How housing is allocated
03 – Emergency after hours service
04 – How to make a complaint/complaint resolution process 05 – What is CFHA/what is it responsible for
06 – How to request repairs/maintenance
07 - Information about urgent issues (e.g. watermain breaks) 08 - General information/updates
09 - Policies/rules/regulations (non-specific)
- Increases/changes in rent
- When requested repairs will be done
- Future plans for RHUs/development
- Advance notice of work to be done to my rental
- Specific information about the house I live in (various)
– Other (Please type in)
– None ANCHOR AT BOTTOM
ANCHOR AT BOTTOM
47a. If you could choose any of the following ways to receive critical information from the CFHA about emergency or urgent issues, which one would you prefer most?
Please select one answer only
RANDOMIZE
01 – By text notification 02 – By e-mail
03 – By visiting their web site
04 – By social media, such as Twitter 05 – An app created by DND or CAF
47b. If you could choose any of the following ways to receive general information from the CFHA about housing issues and policies, which one would you prefer most?
Please select one answer only
RANDOMIZE
01 – By mail 02 – By e-mail
03 – By visiting their web site
04 – By social media, such as Twitter 05 – Town Hall
Did you know that CFHA has a Twitter account which provides general information about the Agency?
– Yes
– No
NEW IN 2023
49 Did you know the CFHA website now has a new section, Services to Occupants, that includes new online forms?
– Yes
– No
NEW IN 2023
[IF YES AT 49] Have you submitted one or more of the following forms using the Services to Occupants section of the website?
[RANDOMIZE]
Applying for military housing
Repair or maintenance request
Household information update (e.g., contact information, change in household size, change of rank)
Extended absence from the RHU
– Yes
– No
NEW IN 2023
50e [IF ANY CODE 01 AT 50b A-D] Of the forms you have submitted using the Services to Occupants section, how satisfied were you with the process of submission?
Please select one only.
– Very satisfied
– Somewhat satisfied 03 – Not very satisfied 04 – Not at all satisfied
REVISED QUESTION TEXT AND NEW ITEMS IN 2023
49a. If you were able to access the following CFHA services through the online self-service portal, how likely would you be to do each?
Please select one answer for each
RANDOMIZE
Submit a notice of intent to vacate from RHU
Submit an application for a Home-Based Business
Apply for activities requiring HSC approval (e.g., erecting/installing fences, pools, sheds)
– Very likely
– Somewhat likely 03 – Not very likely 04 – Not at all likely 05 – Not sure
[DELETED]
D. Household Composition and Quality of Life Changing topics slightly…
IF QA=02 OR 03, INSERT CODE 2 (MARRIED) FOR Q51 AND SKIP TO Q51a
Are you ...?
Please select one answer only
– Single, never married
– Married, common-law or living together as a couple 03 – Widowed
– Separated
– Divorced
– Prefer not to answer
51a. Including yourself, how many people currently live in your home?
people [ALLOWABLE RANGE = 1-20; DROP DOWN LIST ONLINE]
21 – Prefer not to answer
IF Q51a=1 person, INSERT CODE 2 FOR ALL AT Q51b/c AND SKIP TO Q53
IF Q51a=2 people AND Q51=2 (MARRIED), INSERT CODE 1 FOR Q51bi AND CODE 2 FOR ALL OTHERS AT Q51b/c AND SKIP TO Q52a
IF Q51a=2 peoples AND Q51≠2 (MARRIED) OR Q51a=3 people or more, ASK Q.51b/c
51bi. Do any of the following live in your home? [ONLINE: SHOW GRID]
Household members 18 or older (51bi)
Other military members (51bii)
Civilian roommates (51biii)
– Yes
– No
– Prefer not to answer
51c. Do you have any children who live with you either all the time or part of the time who are…? [ONLINE: SHOW GRID] - OK
Aged 12 or under (51ci)
Aged 13 to 17 (51cii)
01 – All the time
02 – Part of the time 03 – Neither
04 – Prefer not to answer
ASK Q52a/b/c ONLY IF Q51bi=01 OR Q51ci or cii=01-02. OTHERWISE, SKIP TO Q53.
52a. To what extent was your decision to live in DND housing related to your household well-being? Was it the…?
01 – Main reason
02 – Important reason but not the main one 03 – Not too important
52c. Thinking about the impact on your household’s overall quality of life, is the distance between home and each of the following places reasonable or not reasonable to you?
SHOW GRID RANDOMIZE
Your work location (52ci)
(IF Q51=2 MARRIED) Your spouse’s/partner’s work location (52cii)
(IF Q51ci or cii=01-02) Your child’s school or daycare (52ciii)
Shopping, such as grocery stores and malls (52civ)
Recreation, such as restaurants, theatres and arenas (52cv)
01 – Reasonable
02 – Not reasonable 03 – Not applicable
04 – Prefer not to answer
ASK Q52d ONLY IF MARRIED (Q51=2):
52d. To confirm, is your household currently living in the same location, or is the family temporarily divided between different bases or wings?
01 – Same location
02 – Temporarily divided 03 – Prefer not to answer
ASK ALL
Finally, do you have any further suggestions for how CFHA could improve its customer service to CAF members living in DND housing?
SHOW OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOX (NOTE: does not display if “Don’t know/No answer” selected)
Q53_NA – Don’t know/No answer
E. Respondent Profile
To finish up, we have a few questions about you and your household for statistical purposes only. Please be assured that your answers will remain completely anonymous.
For how many years (IF QA=01 OR 03: have you /IF QA=02: has your spouse/partner) served in the CAF?
If less than one year, please enter 0
Q54 years [ALLOWABLE RANGE: 0-99] (NOTE: does not display if “Don’t know/No answer” selected
Q54.99 – Don’t know/No answer
ASK Q.55 AND Q.56 IF RESPONDENT IS CAF MEMBER (Q.A CODE 1 OR 3)
What is your current rank group?
Please select one answer only.
01 - Junior NCM 02 - Senior NCM 03 - Junior Officer
- Senior Officers/General/Flag Officers 05 – Other (SPECIFY )
Which CAF command do you serve in?
Please select one answer only.
01 – Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) 02 – Canadian Army (CA)
03 – Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
04 – Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) 05 - Military Personnel Command (MPC)
06 – Other 07 – Prefer not to answer
ASK Q.57 AND Q.58 IF RESPONDENT IS SPOUSE OF CAF MEMBER (Q.A CODE 2 OR 3)
What is your spouse’s/partner’s current rank group?
Please select one answer only.
01 - Junior NCM 02 - Senior NCM 03 - Junior Officer
04 - Senior Officers/General/Flag Officers 05 – Other (SPECIFY )
Which CAF command does your spouse/partner serve in?
Please select one answer only.
01 – Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) 02 – Canadian Army (CA)
03 – Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
04 – Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) 05 - Military Personnel Command (MPC)
06 – Other 07 – Prefer not to answer
ASK Q59 IF:
RESPONDENT HAS SPOUSE/PARTNER WHO IS NOT A CAF MEMBER (QA=01 AND Q51=02)
RESPONDENT IS SPOUSE/PARTNER WHO IS NOT A CAF MEMBER (QA=02)
Which of the following best describes [IF QA=02: your own / IF QA=01 AND Q51=02: your spouse’s/partner’s] present employment status?
Please select one answer only.
01 - Working full-time, that is, 35 or more hours per week 02 - Working part-time, that is, less than 35 hours per week 03 - Self-employed
04 - Unemployed, but looking for work 05 - A student attending school full-time 06 – Retired
07 - Not in the workforce (full-time homemaker, unemployed, not looking for work) 08 – Other
09 – Prefer not to answer
ASK Q.60 IF Q59=01-02
[IF QA=02: Are you / IF QA=01 AND Q51=02: Is your spouse/partner] employed by any of the following?
Please select one answer only.
01 - CAF, as a military member 02 – DND, as an employee
03 – DND, as a contractor
04 – Any other Government of Canada department 05 – None of the above
06 – Prefer not to answer
ASK ALL
Do you currently live in…?
Please select one answer only.
01 – A single-family dwelling 02 – A semi-detached home 03 – An apartment
04 – A row house
05 – or, another type of home
In what year were you born?
Q62 Year [MINIMUM: 1900]
Q62.99 – Prefer not to answer ***
Finally, which of the following categories best describes your total household income?
Please select one answer only.
01 – Less than $50,000 02 - $50,000 to $75,000
03 - $75,000 to $100,000
04 – More than $100,000 05 – Prefer not to answer
Which of the following do you identify with…?
01 - Male gender 02 - Female gender 03 - Gender diverse
04 – Prefer not to answer
[FINAL PAGE]
This completes the survey. Thank you very much for your time and assistance!
This survey was conducted on behalf of the Canadian Forces Housing Agency. You can get more information about this survey by contacting Stephen Jubinville from DND at stephen.jubinville@forces.gc.ca.
[THANK YOU PAGE – IF DISQUALIFIED AT QA - QC]
Thank you for your interest in the survey. Unfortunately, we are only looking to speak to speak to CAF members and their spouses/partners who live in DND housing. Thank you very much for your time and assistance.
This survey was conducted on behalf of the Canadian Forces Housing Agency. You can get more information about this survey by contacting Stephen Jubinville from DND at stephen.jubinville@forces.gc.ca.
[RECORD FROM SAMPLE FILE]
Name of Base (from sample list) – NOTES to survey developer:
this is a hidden question
the values are included in the database that is imported into the SNAP survey
they are automatically populated based on the seeding variable.
01 - Bagotville |
02 - Borden |
03 - Cold Lake |
04 - Comox |
05 - Dundurn |
06 - Edmonton |
07 - Esquimalt |
08 - Gagetown |
09 - Gander |
10 - Goose Bay |
11 - Greenwood |
12 - Halifax |
13 - Kingston |
14 - Montreal |
15 - Moose Jaw |
16 - North Bay |
17 - Ottawa |
18 - Petawawa |
19 - Shilo |
20 - Suffield |
21 - Trenton |
22 - Valcartier |
23 - Wainwright |
24 - Winnipeg |
25 – Yellowknife |
26 – Masset |
27 – Iqaluit |
