How Many Canadian Military Families Relocate Each Year?

Military relocations are a regular part of life for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families. Every year, thousands of Military families receive posting messages that require them to relocate to a new community, often within a very short timeframe.

According to comments from then-Canadian Forces Ombudsman Pierre Daigle reported by CBC News, approximately 16,000 Canadian Armed Forces members relocate each year due to Military postings. These moves occur across Canada as the CAF fills operational requirements, career progression positions, training assignments, and leadership appointments.

For Military families, a posting often means much more than simply changing jobs. It can involve:

• Selling a home

• Purchasing a home in a new city

• Securing a rental property

• Completing a House Hunting Trip (HHT)

• Registering children in new schools

• Finding family doctors and local services

• Navigating tight relocation timelines

  
  

Military Families Move More Often Than Civilian Families

Statistics Canada has also noted that Military families experience significantly higher mobility than civilian families.

In a 2025 report examining Military families in Canada, Statistics Canada found that Military families move far more frequently than non-Military households and often relocate between provinces throughout a member's career.

This higher level of mobility creates unique housing, financial, and logistical challenges that most civilian families never experience.

Why This Matters

Military relocations create one of Canada's most active relocation markets.

Every posting season, CAF members and their families search for:

• IRP-Experienced REALTORS®

• Military-friendly mortgage professionals

• Rental housing

• Lawyers and notaries

• School information

• Community resources

• Base-specific relocation advice

  
  

Many begin their research online long before arriving at their new posting location.

Need Help With Your Move?

RelocatingMilitary.ca was created to help Military families, Veterans, and RCMP members connect with relocation professionals who understand Military timelines, HHT requirements, and posting-season realities.

Whether you're buying, selling, renting, or preparing for an upcoming posting, we're here to help.

Looking for an IRP-Experienced REALTOR®?

Visit our Military REALTOR® directory and we'll help connect you with a professional familiar with Military relocations.

Sources

• CBC News reporting comments from Canadian Forces Ombudsman Pierre Daigle regarding approximately 16,000 annual CAF relocations.

• Statistics Canada, A Portrait of Military Families in Canada from the 2021 Census (2025), examining mobility and relocation trends among Military families.