Being the nation’s capital, Ottawa is the proud home of many military and police service members and veterans. And, with the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police based in Ottawa as well, there is a good chance that you have spent at least a little bit of time here if you are a RCMP member.

One of Canada’s most recognizable symbols, it’s no easy feat to become a member of the RCMP — after 26 weeks of training at the RCMP’s training academy in Regina, you must then be willing to relocate to one of the 15 RCMP divisions across Canada.

As the RCMP currently employs over 30,000 Canadians country-wide, it’s common practice for our Canadian Mounties to have to relocate to new divisions. For that reason, they have the RCMP Relocation Services in-place to make things easier.

To learn about what the RCMP Relocation Services program entails and what they can offer you as a member of the RCMP, read our guide below.

What Are RCMP Relocation Services?

Within a few days of an RCMP member’s graduation from their 26-week training program in Regina, they are relocated across the country to begin their careers. New members get dispersed to one of the 15 divisions in Canada, most commonly to remote parts of the country away from larger urban centres.

This is where the RCMP Relocation Services plan comes into play. RCMP Relocation Services assist RCMP members with relocating to their new division by coordinating many aspects of their move including reimbursing RCMP members with any lost costs of selling their current home and purchasing a new one.

Expenses like real estate agents’ commission fees, property transfer taxes, and other legal fees are also covered, along with other secondary and tertiary expenses.

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Who Qualifies?

RCMP members — and by extension, their families — qualify to receive the benefits the RCMP Relocation Services provides. Spouses and children of RCMP members are thoughtfully taken into consideration by RCMP Relocation Coordinators ahead of their relocation, helping to ease the burden of their move overall.

It’s the primary objective of RCMP Relocation Coordinators to mitigate stress and eliminate as much additional work the relocating RCMP member and their families may have.

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What Should I Know About Relocating?

There are a few things to keep in mind if you are a relocating RCMP member looking to utilize the Relocations Services program. First, your chosen real estate solicitor must be part of the official RCMP approved list of solicitors that exist in each region. Once that real estate professional is chosen by the relocating member, the real estate agent will work closely with a representative of the RCMP to ensure the transaction and transition of your move is completed swiftly and smoothly.

It’s also worth noting that the RCMP has a guaranteed home sale plan in place to account for any monetary loss a member may incur in the real estate market because of their relocation. At a minimum, the RCMP will provide a relocating member with the guaranteed market value of their current home if they are forced to sell in less-than-ideal market conditions.

Are you relocating to the Ottawa area and need some local real estate advice?

Our team of Ottawa real estate professionals are here to serve you to the best of our abilities and can help you find the perfect home for you here. Simply contact a member of our team here to get started.