The Government of Canada invests in services for Veterans

Funding will support the retention of service delivery employees for an additional two years 

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, Nov. 3, 2023 /CNW/ - VAC works to serve Veterans and their families by offering targeted services and benefits to improve their well-being.

Today, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Ginette Petitpas Taylor met with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employees in Charlottetown and across the country to outline a new investment that will result in more effective and timely service to Veterans and their families.

The Government of Canada will invest $164.4 million to retain existing employees for an additional two years.

To date, federal investments have supported the hiring of additional case managers and support staff to lower the caseload of service delivery employees and reduce the volume of disability applications currently in queue. 

This investment builds on the $156.7 million investment outlined in Budget 2023, bringing the funding up to a total of $321.1 million over five years, plus $14.4 million ongoing to support services to Veterans and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Quote 

"Disability benefits adjudicators and case managers are often a Veteran's most important experience with Veterans Affairs Canada. This funding will help to retain current employees so we can continue to improve the services that Veterans and their families receive and so rightly deserve."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"Veterans Affairs Canada is one of Prince Edward Island's main employers. This Government of Canada investment is excellent news for Islanders who work at VAC and for Veterans and their families across the country."

Sean Casey, MP for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Quick Facts 

• The funding announced today will allow VAC to retain existing employees for an additional two years.
• For VAC employees, who work to process disability benefits applications, this funding will extend their existing contracts until March 2026. For VAC case managers and other front-line staff, who provide services to Veterans and manage caseloads, this funding will extend their positions until March 2027.
• Since 2015, more Veterans are coming forward to apply for services and access benefits.
• Veterans Affairs Canada has identified a 61% increase in the number of applications received for disability benefits between 2015-2016 and 2022-2023.
• Work is ongoing to reduce wait times for applicants; since 2020, VAC has reduced the backlog by 75%.
• The $156.7 million investment announced in Budget 2023 supported an increase of appeals processing capacity for the disability benefits program at the Bureau of Pensions Advocates (BPA) and Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB).
• Since Budget 2016, new investments for Veterans have totalled approximately $11 billion.

SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada - Ottawa

Contacts: Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468, [email protected]; Mikaela Harrison, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, [email protected]