It’s September, the laptops are back open, and relocation isn’t happening in a vacuum—it’s happening inside two very different housing markets. Relocation is only as smooth as the market allows—and right now, it’s anything but smooth.
Even when employees receive a Miscellaneous Allowance, they still ask for exceptions.
“Can I expense the cost of licensing my vehicle in the new province?”
“What about the hook-up fee for internet?”
“Can you cover the dismantling of my home gym?”
These aren’t strange questions. They’re reasonable ones. But they create friction—case-by-case exceptions, follow-up approvals, and ambiguity for everyone involved.
So the pitch from your transferee who is set to work from temporary accommodation at destination for 60 days is: “Let me spend one week on-site in Calgary, then one week at home in Toronto. You cover the flights, and I’ll skip the second week of hotel. When I am in Toronto I will work Calgary hours.”
Why available trucks don’t always equal healthy mobility—and how it can pinch your transferees
The Doritos Sucker Punch economy: I once wrote about the Pancake Economy, where I noted that those slightly lower on the income ladder in the United States were turning away from eating out at Denny’s, Applebee’s and others, which was leading to restaurant closures. Then I wrote about the Campbell’s Soup Economy as Campbell’s announced a notable increase in soup sales, proving that the American consumer had indeed left Applebee’s and was making their own soup for dinner. Now we are what I call the Doritos Sucker Punch economy.
U.S. home sales are collapsing at the highest rate in years — and many companies haven’t updated their BVO relocation program governance to reflect this new risk. Learn why 1 in 7 failed deals could expose your company to unexpected inventory costs and what steps you should take now.
Many HR and Mobility teams rely on the Canada Revenue Agency’s Employer’s Guide to Taxable Benefits (T4130) as their reference when designing lump sum relocation payments.
It’s the obvious place to start — but it’s also where many programs stop. And that’s a mistake.
Relocation isn’t just about boxes, contracts, or policy interpretation. It’s about people adjusting to a new city, a new culture, and a new life. That’s where Destination Services come in—and yet, they are frequently excluded from the formal selection process when choosing relocation providers.
Flagpoling, the once-common practice of exiting and re-entering Canada at a land border to obtain or renew a work or study permit, is now officially coming to an end for most applicants.
In today’s mobility landscape, many companies find themselves with what might be considered “small” relocation programs. Some have grown from 3 to 10 moves a year and are facing new complexity. Others once had 75 annual relocations and now manage just 17. But here’s the truth: whether your program is growing or contracting, a thoughtful vendor selection process—yes, even an RFP—is not optional.
