Part III - Relocation to an Isolated Post

3.1.1 Nothing in this part shall be construed to limit the application of an appropriate governing authority to that portion of the relocation of employees that takes place between the point of departure and a place other than the headquarters.

3.1.2 For the purposes of this part, family members who are permanently residing with employees, but who are precluded from qualifying as dependants under the Income Tax Act because they receive pensions, shall be deemed to be dependants.

3.2.1 Employees will complete a personal health evaluation form for themselves and their dependants, if any, and provide them to Health Canada.

3.2.2 Departments will provide Health Canada with a list of candidates and proposed posting schedule.

3.2.3 Health Canada will review the health declaration(s) and determine whether any further assessment is required.

3.2.4 Health Canada will provide a report to the department confirming eligibility of posting.

3.2.5 Departments will be responsible for any costs related to additional assessments.

3.3.1 Subject to this part, employees shall be reimbursed the expenses of the portion of their relocation that takes place between the point of departure and the headquarters, determined in accordance with the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive, when they relocate by reason of

1. their assignment to an isolated post for a period of one year or more,
2. their transfer from an isolated post to another location, including another isolated post, or
3. completion of their period of assignment to an isolated post.

3.3.2 Subject to this part, the amount of the expenses reimbursed shall not exceed the lesser of:

1. the actual relocation expenses incurred, and
2. the relocation expenses that would have been incurred between the point of departure and the headquarters of the employee.

3.3.3 Assignment – 3 months or d: Employees who are assigned to an isolated post for a period of three months or less shall be reimbursed the amount of the transportation and travelling expenses they incurred in travelling to the headquarters, up to the amount that would be incurred in travelling from the point of departure to the headquarters by the mode(s) of transportation used by them.

3.3.4 Assignment – e 3 months and d 1 year: Employees who are assigned to an isolated post for a period of more than three months and less than one year shall be reimbursed the amount of the transportation and travelling expenses they and their dependants incurred in travelling to the headquarters, up to the amount that would be incurred in travelling from the point of departure to the headquarters by the mode(s) of transportation used by them.

3.3.5 Whenever employees are eligible for reimbursement of expenses under this part, they shall, upon request, be granted an accountable advance. The advance should normally be provided before the trip begins. However, where this is not possible, the advance should be given at the first location en route where such payment is feasible.

3.4.1 Subject to this section, when fully or partly furnished accommodation is provided, the amount of the relocation expenses on the move into or out of the headquarters, attributable to the transportation of the household and personal effects of employees and their dependants, shall not exceed the lesser of:

1. the amount actually incurred for that transportation; and
2. the amount that would have been incurred if the aggregate of the maximum weights of those household and personal effects, including containers, did not exceed
   1. 900 kg in respect of the employee, plus
   2. 900 kg in respect of their first dependant, plus
   3. 225 kg in respect of each additional dependant.

3.4.2 The deputy head may reduce the weight of the household and personal effects that may be transported at public expense when:

1. similar household effects are part of the furnishings of the accommodation; or
2. aircraft is the most practical and economical means of transportation.

3.4.3 The weight limitations referred to in this section shall be increased by:

1. 15 per cent if the shipment is by air or road;
2. 25 per cent if the shipment is by rail; or
3. 30 per cent if the shipment is by watercraft.

3.4.4 When employees transfer from one isolated post to another, the deputy head may authorize reimbursement for the transportation of household and personal effects that exceed the weight limits.

3.4.5 When employees have completed five or more continuous years of service at isolated posts and are transferred out of isolation, the deputy head shall authorize reimbursement for transportation of the household and personal effects that exceed the weight limits, up to a maximum of 450 kg in excess weight.

3.4.6 When the deputy head is satisfied that, through no fault of the employees, their household and personal effects authorized for shipment at government expense exceed the weight limits, the additional costs incurred in transporting their household and personal effects may be authorized.

3.4.7 The weight of objects used for disability-related needs (such as motorized wheelchair, etc.), shall not be considered as part of the weight of the employee's household and personal effects for the purposes of the weight limitations.

3.4.8 Shipment of Automobiles or Recreational Vehicles: When the shipment of automobiles or recreational vehicles, such as snowmobiles, boats, motorcycles, etc., is authorized pursuant to the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive, the weight of these items shall not be considered as part of the weight of the employee's household and personal effects for the purposes of the weight limitations.

3.4.9 The deputy head should use discretion when authorizing the shipment of private motor vehicles. The shipment should be authorized only to locations where there are roads and where employees normally use private motor vehicles.

3.4.10 Employees wishing to ship into their headquarters vehicles purchased after their relocation to that location shall do so at their own expense.

3.4.11 Upon the employee's relocation out of the isolated post, a vehicle shipped in at the employee's expense will be shipped out at the employer's expense, provided the isolated post the employee is leaving is one to which vehicles are normally shipped as per section 3.4.9 of this Directive.

3.4.12 House-Hunting Trip: When an employee is assigned to or transferred from an isolated post and will not occupy government-owned or government-leased accommodation at the new location, the deputy head shall, if requested, authorize a house-hunting trip in accordance with the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive. This house-hunting trip should normally be granted before the employee relocates to the new headquarters.

3.4.13 When expenses are to be reimbursed to an employee, the deputy head may direct that an accountable advance be made, pursuant to the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive.

3.4.14 When employees are transferred from one isolated post to another, they are entitled to be reimbursed for the costs incurred in receiving some or all of the household and personal effects and private motor vehicles that may have been placed in storage pursuant to section 3.5. If they will be occupying fully or partially furnished accommodation, the combined weight of the furniture and effects being shipped from the place of storage and the former isolated post will be subject to the conditions outlined in this section.

3.5.1 When, by reason only of the limits referred to in Section 3.4, any part of the household and personal effects of employees are not transported to their headquarters and deputy heads are satisfied that it is necessary to store those effects, they shall arrange for and authorize the payment of the cost in respect of those household and personal effects, of

1. packing and crating,
2. transportation to the nearest adequate storage facilities,
3. storage charges,
4. insurance referred to in the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive,
5. transportation from the place of storage to the place of duty or the normal place of residence of that employee, and
6. unpacking and uncrating.

3.5.2 The deputy head shall, upon receipt of evidence of storage payment, authorize the reimbursement to employees of storage costs incurred for up to two private motor vehicles that they own at the time of assignment, or replacements for vehicles placed in storage at the time of assignment, in an amount up to the amounts specified in the Relocation – Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) Directive for commercial or private dead storage, when employees are assigned to headquarters where

1. employees at the headquarters do not normally use private motor vehicles, and
2. the Employer does not ship vehicles.

3.5.3 When employees choose not to store one or both of their private motor vehicles pursuant to this section, they shall, upon presenting evidence of storage payment, be reimbursed the expenses incurred in storing recreational vehicles or boats that they own at the time of their transfer, in an amount not to exceed the amount that would have been reimbursed had they stored their private motor vehicles.

3.5.4 Expenses incurred by employees that result from the storage of their vehicles or boats, such as servicing, insurance, etc., are not reimbursable.

3.5.5 The authority for payment of the costs referred to in this section shall end on the expiration of

1. the month in which employees ought to have taken possession of their goods, or
2. one month after the termination of employment.

3.5.6 Deputy heads shall, not later than five years after the household and personal effects were placed in storage pursuant to this section, review the matter and may authorize payment of the costs of the continuation of the storage, or the shipment of the household and personal effects to the employee.

3.6.1 Subject to this part, the deputy head shall authorize the payment of all or any portion of the expenses incurred by an employee for the relocation of a dependant to his or her headquarters residence when the deputy head is satisfied that, at the time of the assignment of the employee, the person was a dependant and

1. did not accompany the employee to his or her headquarters, or
2. did not arrive at the headquarters within 90 days of the date of the employee's arrival.

3.6.2 When employees will be occupying fully or partially furnished accommodations, the aggregate of

1. the weights of the effects that may be transported for the dependant(s); and
2. the weights of all other effects transported pursuant to this part,

shall not exceed the limits referred to in Section 3.4 (Furnished Accommodation - Weight Limitations).

3.7.1 Subject to this section, when persons who have not previously been eligible for the provision of this directive

1. are assigned to an isolated post for a period of one year or more, and
2. have been reimbursed for the transportation of household and personal effects, the aggregate weight of which is less than the limits referred to in Section 3.4, they shall, at any time during the first 12 months of their assignment, be reimbursed for the transportation costs of additional household and personal effects, if the balance of the term of their assignment to that isolated post is for six months or more at the date of shipment of those additional effects.

3.7.2 The aggregate of the weights of the effects that are transported, pursuant to this section and Section 3.4, shall not exceed the limits referred to in Section 3.4.

3.8.1 Subject to Section 3.4 (Furnished Accommodation - Weight Limitations), deputy heads shall direct that employees be reimbursed for the extra charges actually incurred for transporting excess luggage of a weight that is not more than 90 kg when the deputy heads are satisfied that

1. employees require certain parts of their household and personal effects on the date of their arrival at their headquarters, and
2. those effects will not arrive at their headquarters on or before the date of their arrival there.