130 Syndicate Avenue South location will serve approximately 1,700 Veterans
THUNDER BAY, ON, Jan. 26, 2017 /CNW/ - Veterans, their families and local officials today joined Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, on behalf of the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, for the reopening of the Veterans Affairs Canada office in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Following MP Rusnak, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, also delivered remarks.
The office is located on the first floor of 130 Syndicate Avenue South, Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Thunder Bay office will employ approximately seven staff, who will serve approximately 1,700 Veterans in the area. Staff at the office will answer questions about VAC services and benefits; arrange pension medical examinations; and assist Veterans with completing and submitting applications and receipts. Case-managed Veterans will also be able to meet with their case manager.
The Thunder Bay office is the seventh of nine Veterans Affairs offices to be reopened across the country by May 2017.
Quotes
"I am extremely proud to be reopening doors that were previously closed to Veterans and their families. Veterans have selflessly answered the call to serve our country, and now we are answering their call by enhancing financial benefits, restoring and expanding access to critical services, expanding service in Thunder Bay and the territories, and hiring more frontline staff. This was part of our commitment to Canadians, and we stand by this promise."
The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
"Our government is making the reopening of Veterans Affairs offices across the country a priority, and I'm proud to see the doors open at the Thunder Bay Veterans Affairs Canada office, where about 1,700 of our veterans and their families will be served. They have selflessly answered the call to serve our country, and now we are answering their call by restoring and expanding access to the support they deserve."
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"I am very pleased to be here in Thunder Bay, today, to officially open the Veterans Affairs Canada Office. This office is important to Veterans and their families not only in Thunder Bay, but throughout Northwestern Ontario. This office will provide veterans with restored access to services and benefits when and where they need them."
Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River
Quick Facts
- Reopening the nine Veterans Affairs offices that were closed is a top priority in the Minister of Veterans Affairs' mandate letter.
- Offices were reopened in Corner Brook, NL, on July 5, 2016; Brandon, MB, on October 21, 2016; Sydney, NS, on October 31, 2016; Kelowna, BC, on November 1, 2016; and Saskatoon, SK, and Charlottetown, PE, on November 30, 2016. Offices will also reopen in Windsor, ON, and Prince George, BC, by May 2017. A tenth office will open in Surrey, BC, in May 2017.
- Veterans Affairs Canada is hiring 400 new employees to help ensure that Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP personnel, and their families are provided with the best possible services in their own communities. This includes new staff to ensure case managers have an average caseload of 25 Veterans.
- As of January 2017, Veterans Affairs Canada has hired 330 new front line staff.
Associated Links
- Office Openings
- Points of Service for Veterans and their Families (Infographic)
- Points of Service (Infographic)
- Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Mandate Letter
SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada
To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2017/26/c2216.html
Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468, [email protected]; Sarah McMaster, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 613-996-4649
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