captloadie said:
There are single quarters and RHU's available. Up until this month, all single quarters were with room mates. There is now the option to get your own room for an extra $210/ mth. There are at least 300 single members living in RHUs, doubling and tripling up by choice. Rent for RHUs runs between 900-1500 I believe, and is about 100-150% below market value, so the rates increase annually and whenever someone moves out. The average house price in Cold Lake is about 365K, with recent members posted in saying they couldn't fine decent family housing for under 400K. Rents are ridiculous in town. They range from $800/mth for an illegal apartment (1 room in the basement with some shared access), to 2400+/mth for any type of house/condo. Add into that the additional cost of living (more for groceries, daycare, vehicle/home maintenance) and you quickly get the picture.
Also, there is a large gap in the quality of life between the different MOCs. Not everyone is a pilot or gets spec pay. A lot of the support trades (read Log), and DND civilians are trying to get by on significantly less, and honestly I'm not sure how single members, or one income families are doing it.
Disclaimer- I realise this may be an old post, but whatever, this issue is hitting particularly close to home with the "we will send you wherever even if you have to claim bankruptcy"
Starters,
A posting is not a course, the fact that members are cohabitating in the same room is beyond me. Thats ridiculous. They want family to become a huge part of Military life now. Cant start dating, living, being with someone if you have a roommate, IN the same damn room. There becomes a point when someone wants to start a family, find a wife, Cold Lake is bad enough for that possibility now, I cant believe it if its "hey baby come over while my roommate watches."
I more then understand the need and the push to get Military members living off of the local economy. However, low cost PMQ housing is the best way to do it. You have members save money by living in AFFORDABLE housing, those with the families bank coin, save and buy at their next posting taking advantage of IRP Benefits. You can not do that overpaying for a house that has horrible insulation. I do not know what the food cost is etc there, I can not comment on that, I do know how much a medium coffee costs, and that brings me to my next point;
Cold Lake is not the only problem, Look at soaring gas prices in Quebec, been steady at what for 1.45- 1.50 for a good three weeks to a month now. The PMQs are dead in the middle of St Jean and Montreal. those travelling either way are burning through fuel like no tomorrow. Units Schedules are different to alleviate travel time so that takes out the possiblity of Car Pooling,
There is no relative difference in the cost of an Apartment on the South Shore, or on the island. The only difference is is the travel time to and from work, and the related fuel costs. South Shore for whatever reason recieves less PLD, 319, on the Island its 505. (on the island you get taxed down to 280, so you receive a benefit and get taxed HEAVY on that benefit for getting that benefit)
Add in the ridiculous tax rate- for what?? nothing, I have yet to see any benefits of those taxes that came with two provincial elections, concrete portions of highways falling onto cars, and people burning the Canadian Flag.
I am all for a Canadian Wide Military Equivalent Tax Rate, or you are taxed out of your home province where you enlisted.
FYI- Tax Rate wise, a quebec medium Coffee is 20 cents more.
Before I get bombarded here,
I know we are paid well (some trades need boosts for sure). But that pay doesnt always work out to what we need. The cost on the families that are seperated because they simply can not afford to live together in those provinces, the fuel, the vehicle maintenance, flights etc. Adds up. IT forces alot of families of good soldiers, airmen and seaman to release.
The CAF used to thrive as a whole with the close knit PMQ community. Canex thrived, Bases Economies thrived, there was a sense of neighbourhood in them. CAF needs that, especially for the Junior Ranks.
