Amendments to the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive - Appendices A, B, C, K-1, K-2, M

April 16, 2009

To: Functional Heads of Administration, Human Resources and Financial Service

c.c.: Federal Regional Councils,  Departmental Designated Coordinators for the IPGHD Committee members of the NJC IPGHD

Please distribute this notice and the amended appendices of the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD) as quickly as possible to persons at your headquarters and regional offices who are involved in the administration of the isolated post allowances.

The purpose of this notice is to provide you with the approved changes to the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD) effective retroactively to August 1^st, 2008. These changes were arrived at following consultations within the National Joint Council and are in accordance with the approved methodologies. The IPGHD has been amended to reflect these changes.

1. In accordance with Section 2.5 of the IPGHD,Appendix A includes a number of newly designated locations in Ontario and British Columbia.
2. The Environment Allowance rates, Appendix B, have been increased, effective August 1, 2008.
3. The Living Cost Differential rates, Appendix C, have been increased effective August 1, 2008.
4. As a result of surveys conducted by Statistics Canada, the Living Cost Differential levels of a number of locations have been revised effective August 1, 2008.
5. The Shelter Cost Differential rates, Appendix K-1 and K-2, have, have adjusted effective August 1, 2008.

   Please note the amended Fuel and Utilities charges in Appendix M – Calculation of rent for Government Housing.

   Section 6.14 of the IPGHD has also been revised to reflect the simplified Fuel and Utilities charges formula.

6. As a result of a survey conducted by Statistics Canada, the Fuel and Utilities Differential (F&UD) levels, Appendix A, of a number of locations have been revised. These levels are effective October 1, 2007. Employees must receive a four month notification of any reduction to a classification as established in Section 2.12 of the IPGHD. Therefore, a notice should be sent out by April 20, 2009 to all affected employees.

** Exception **

The National Joint Council was made aware of a discrepancy in the 2006 Fuel and Utilities levels, Appendix A, of a number of locations published in August 2007. The National Joint Council Executive Committee has agreed to revise and update the indexes for a number of locations which are listed in the appended Annex II.

1. All employees working in locations listed in Annex I between February 1, 2007 and April 15, 2009, will start receiving the 2007 F&UD levels as of April 15, 2009.

   The four (4) month notification period will not apply to employees working in locations listed in the appended Annex I.

2. All employees working in locations listed in Annex II between February 1, 2007 and October 1, 2007, will receive a lump sum amount equivalent to the difference between the previous and the revised 2006 F&UD levels according to the length of their service in that location.

A written notice must be sent out by April 20, 2009 to all employees currently working in the locations listed in Annex II who will experience a "decrease" of their allowance as a result of the 2007 F&UD levels as of April 15, 2009. Section 2.12 of the IPGHD warrants a four (4) month notification period in such cases. The decrease will come into effect on August 20, 2009.

Departments are required to calculate the difference between the revised dollar amounts of the F&UD versus the amount that was published in Appendix A and pay that difference for each employee in the affected location according to the length of their service in that location. 

Departments must keep track of the above amounts as they will be required to report to TBS the totals paid out to affected employees.

No pay action should be taken to implement the revisions to Appendices A, B and C of the IPGHD (as mentioned in paragraphs b., c. and f. above), until further instructions are received from the applicable pay office of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

Any retroactive payments resulting from the above changes are to be administered in the same manner as retroactive increases to employees' pay. For this purposes, April 15, 2009 will be considered the date of this amendment list.

Any questions from employees and regional staff should be directed to the appropriate Designated Departmental IPGHDCoordinators who, as required, can contact the appropriate officers at the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Claudia Zovatto
Senior Director
Excluded Groups and Administrative Policies
Labour Relations and Compensation Operations

ANNEX I

Locations that will start receiving the 2007 F&UD Levels as of April 15, 2009. The four (4) month notification period will not apply to employees.

Appendix A

ANNEX II

Locations where indexes have been approved and revised.