Part V - Designation and Payments

5.1.1 The locations named in Appendix A are hereby designated as isolated posts.

5.1.2 An isolated post shall have environment, living cost, and fuel and utilities classifications as set out in Appendix A.

Criteria

5.2.1 Subject to Section 1.15 (Leave Without Pay or Absence Without Leave), qualification for an environment allowance is a prerequisite for all other allowances and benefits under this directive, except for the special location allowance.

5.2.2 The classifications of isolated posts (Appendix A) are determined in accordance with the following criteria:

1. population;
2. climate;
3. topography; and
4. availability of commercial transportation or access by all-weather roads.

These criteria are set out in Appendix H.

5.2.3 North of 60^th Parallel: Upon written request of a deputy head, a location that is north of the 60^th parallel of latitude shall be designated as an isolated post and shall be classified at environment level 1 or any higher level determined by the criteria set out in Appendix H, Section 1.

5.3.1 The population of a location is the number of people who inhabit that location as set out in:

1. the most current census of population of Canada;
2. a provincial or municipal record of population; or
3. a record of any other local authority.

5.3.2 The population of a location may be fixed by the Treasury Board Secretariat on the recommendation of the National Joint Council, when that population

1. cannot be clearly determined pursuant to 5.3.1; or
2. is the aggregate of the populations of locations that are amalgamated with, or close to, that location.

5.4.1 Population less than 10,000: A location south of the 60^th parallel of latitude may be designated as an isolated post if

1. it has a population of less than 10,000; and
2. it is not accessible by means of an all-weather road; or
3. it is accessible by means of an all-weather road, but is more than
   1. 161 kilometres by road from a location south of the 60^th parallel of latitude with a population of more than 10,000, and
   2. 322 kilometres by road from a location south of the 60^th parallel of latitude with a population of more than 50,000, and
4. it is entitled to 50 points or more in accordance with the Environment Allowance criteria set out in Appendix H, section 1.

5.4.2 Population 10,000 - 15,000: When an isolated post south of the 60^th parallel of latitude attains a population of 10,000 but not more than 15,000, it shall remain in Appendix A if it is:

1. not accessible by an all-weather road; or
2. accessible by means of an all-weather road and is more than 1,610 kilometres by road from a location south of the 60^th parallel of latitude with a population of more than 100,000.

5.4.3 Population more than 15,000: When the population of an isolated post south of the 60^th parallel of latitude exceeds 15,000, it shall be deleted from Appendix A.

5.4.4 An isolated post south of the 60^th parallel of latitude, located less than 161 kilometres by road from an isolated post referred to in 5.4.2, shall remain in Appendix A until:

1. the population of the isolated post referred to in 5.4.2 exceeds 15,000; or
2. its deletion is recommended for other reasons pursuant to this part.

5.5.1 The Treasury Board Secretariat may

1. add to Appendix A the name of a location that conforms with the rules prescribed in Sections 5.2.3 and 5.4, or
2. delete from Appendix A the name of a location that does not conform with the rules prescribed in Sections 5.2.3 and 5.4.

5.6.1 The Treasury Board Secretariat shall direct the addition of the name and classification of a location to Appendix G when that location conforms with the criteria set out in Appendix H, section 4.

5.6.2 The Treasury Board Secretariat shall delete the name of a location from Appendix G when that location does not conform with the criteria set out in Appendix H, section 4.

5.7.1 The Treasury Board Secretariat shall cause each employee affected to receive written notice of the change, when:

1. a location is deleted from Appendix A;
2. the rates set out in Appendix B, C, D or M are revoked; or
3. the living cost or fuel and utilities differential classification of a location is revoked.

5.7.2 EA: When written notices have been received by employees, the amount of their environment allowance shall be reduced by

1. one-third of the amount of the decrease, on the first day of the fourth calendar month after the month in which written notice was received,
2. one-third of the amount of the decrease, on the first day of the 13^th calendar month after the month in which written notice was received, and
3. the remainder on the first day of the 22^nd calendar month after the month in which written notice was received.

5.7.3 LCD, F&UD, Other Benefits: The living cost differential, fuel and utilities differential and, subject to 5.7.4 and 5.7.5, the other benefits of an employee that are revoked shall terminate on the first day of the fourth calendar month after the month in which the employee received written notice.

5.7.4 SCD: When the shelter cost differential of a location referred to in Appendix M is revoked, the change shall be effective on the date agreed upon within the National Joint Council.

5.7.5 Vacation Travel Assistance and Post-Secondary Education Travel: The benefits referred to in sections 2.4 to 2.9 inclusive shall end on the first day of the 16^th calendar month after the month in which written notice was received, if the employee affected by the change was entitled to them on the date that the change was made.

5.7.6 Relocation Upon End of Employment: The benefits referred to in sections 4.2, 4.5 and 4.14 shall not terminate if the employee affected by the change was entitled to them on the date the change was promulgated.

5.8.1 The Treasury Board Secretariat may, with respect to a location named in Appendix A, F or G, establish, vary, or revoke any classification of that location in conformance with the criteria.

5.8.2 The Treasury Board Secretariat may delete the name of a location from Appendix F when:

1. the National Joint Council determines that there are suitable accommodations available for employees with dependants at the headquarters of the employee; or
2. the location is deleted from Appendix A.

5.9.1 The rates set out in Appendices B, C, D and M are hereby established for the environment allowance, the living cost differential, the fuel and utilities differential and the shelter cost differential respectively.

5.9.2 The Treasury Board Secretariat may, in accordance with the approved methodologies, vary the rates set out in Appendices B, C and M, effective on the dates specified in the approved methodologies.

5.9.3 When the change is not in accordance with the approved methodologies, the President of the Treasury Board, on the recommendation of the National Joint Council, may vary or revoke the rates set out in Appendix B or C, effective on the dates specified by the President.

5.9.4 The President of the Treasury Board, on the recommendation of the National Joint Council, may vary or revoke the rates set out in Appendix D, effective on the date specified by the President.

Effects of Changes

5.10.1 When a location is added to Appendix A pursuant to section 5.5,

1. the environment allowance, living cost differential, the fuel and utilities differential and shelter cost differential (if applicable) are payable from the date specified by the Treasury Board Secretariat; and
2. the employee affected is eligible for the other benefits of the directive from the effective date of the addition.

5.11.1 EA: When the environment classification of an isolated post is raised,

1. the increase to the environment allowance is effective on the date specified by the Treasury Board Secretariat; and
2. the change in the other benefits of the directive, if any, is effective on the date the increase is announced.

5.11.2 LCD: When the living cost differential classification of a location referred to in Appendix A or G is raised, the change shall be effective on the first day of the month following the month in which the Treasury Board Secretariat receives notification of the change from Statistics Canada.

5.11.3 F&UD: When the fuel and utilities differential classification of a location referred to in Appendix A or G is raised, the change shall be effective on the date agreed upon within the National Joint Council.

5.11.4 SCD: When the shelter cost differential of a location referred to in Appendix M is raised, the change shall be effective on the date agreed upon within the National Joint Council.

5.12.1 The Treasury Board Secretariat shall cause each employee affected to receive written notice of the change, when

1. the rates set out in Appendix B, C, D or M are reduced; or
2. the environment, living cost differential or fuel and utilities differential classifications of a location are reduced.

5.12.2 EA: When written notices have been received by employees, the amount of their environment allowance shall be reduced by

1. one-half of the amount of the decrease, on the first day of the fourth calendar month after the month in which written notice was received; and
2. the balance of the amount of the decrease, on the first day of the 13th calendar month after the month in which written notice was received.

5.12.3 Other Allowances and Benefits: The total amount of the reduction in the living cost differential, the fuel and utilities differential, the shelter cost differential, the special location allowance, and any benefits of the employees affected by the change to the environment classification shall be effective on the first day of the fourth calendar month after the month in which written notice was received.

5.13.1 Employees whose assignment began on or after the date that a reduction or revocation of any allowance was made shall be

1. deemed to have received any written notice referred to in this part; and
2. paid allowances calculated at the rate in effect, from time to time, as if they had received such written notices on the earliest date that other employees received that notice.