As a serving regular force or retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), there are several financial options available to you. You can access these funds easily online through various websites included below. You also need to know there are no career ramifications for receiving grants and loans. Paying them back is uncomplicated with the smooth process of a pay allotment.
As always, there is no shame is asking for this assistance when you need it most to preserve your rights for the future of your family.
Financial Distress Program (Grants and Loans)
The Financial Distress Program provides assistance through grants and loans to both serving and former CAF personnel who are under distress or other qualifying circumstances. The lifetime maximum for assistance is $5,000 for a qrant and $25,000 for a loan.
Financial Distress Definition:
Distress is deemed to exist when an applicant or a member of his family is suffering a financial hardship due to a lack of the necessities of life or when an applicant has personal debts which cannot be met as a result of unexpected demands upon his income due to sickness, accident, death, or other unforeseen circumstances or misfortune. Yes, divorce or separation or access to your kids qualify here.
Eligibility:
- Serving and former members of the CAF (Reqular) who have completed one year of service and their dependents; and
- Serving and former members of the CAF (Reserve Force) after the first occurrence of the following:
- One operational tour of duty of at least 6 months duration;
- One year of continuous Class B or Class C Reserve Force service; or
- Four consecutive years of Reserve Force service.
Applications:
Serving members (Regular Force and active Reservists) who wish to make an application for a Distress Loan or Grant must contact their local Base/Wing/Unit Representative or SISIP FS Financial Counselor.
Former members who wish to make an application for a Distress Loan or Grant may contact Veteran Affairs Canada, the Royal Canadian Legion, their local Integrated Personnel Support Center (IPSC) or any other Social Service Agency.
Some of the other options and benevolent funds accessible are:
- The Military Families Fund provides emergency support to still serving and former military families when events related to the conditions of military service disrupt normal family life.
- The Soldier On Fund provides proactive support to seriously injured or ill members still serving and former CAF personnel by enabling them to pursue physical activity, recreation and sport.
- The Hospital Comforts Fund provides support to hospitalized CAF members with access to basic comforts of home such as newspapers, access to television and internet and commissary goods.
- The Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund (CFPAF) provides assistance to service personnel who were enrolled in the Canadian Army since 1 October 1946 to the present and in the Canadian Armed Forces since 1 February 1968, and to their dependants.
For more information on any of these funds, please visit the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services.
You can access forms and more information through:
The Royal Canadian Legion
Dominion Command
86 Aird Place
Ottawa ON, K2L OAI
CONTACT NUMBERS
Phone: 1-613-591-3335
Toll Free: 1-888-556-6222
Fax: 1-613-591-9335
Enquiries regarding the above funds should be directed to: http://www.legion.ca/we-can-help/financial-assistance/
The Canadian Armed Forces Moral Welfare Support (CFMWS) https://www.cfmws.com/en/supportourtroops/ourfunds/cfpaf/pages/default.aspx
The Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) Benevolent Fund provides assistance to currently serving members, retired members, dependents of members and association members of the PPCLI. Additional information is available at their website (https://ppcli.com/veterans-care/benevolent-fund/).
The Royal Canadian Navy Benevolent Fund (RCNBF) provides assistance to serving or former servicemen and women who served with the Navy. Additional information is available at their website (http://rcnbf.ca/). Enquiries should be directed to:
The Secretary Treasurer
RCNBF
P.O. 505, Station “B”
Ottawa, ON KIP 5P6
Tel: 613-996-5087
1-888-557-8777
Fax: 613-236-8830
rcnbf@sympatico.ca
If you need more information or assistance from our law firm, give us a call at 780-544-2200 or email info@valourlaw.com.
At Valour Law, your future matters!