Introduction
In 2018, Parliament passed the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act. The Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports are being used to fulfill the President of the Treasury Board’s obligations to make public, every year, analysis on the impacts of expenditure programs on gender and diversity.
Each organization is responsible for conducting their own Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)
The Policy on Results indicates that Program officials, as designated by Deputy Heads, are responsible for ensuring data collection for meeting policy requirements.
Applicability
All organizations must complete GBA Plus supplementary information tables in departmental plans and departmental results reports on an annual basis.
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus Governance and Capacity
Governance
The Policy and Research Division in the Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance Branch at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) has the departmental functional responsibility for Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) and the shared responsibility to implement the departmental Gender-Based Analysis Plus Strategy.
The Division advances the integration of GBA Plus within the Department’s work to progress equitable outcomes for all Veterans, inclusive of those in under-represented sub-populations. This is done by supporting the development and accessibility of tailored training and resources for our employees; encouraging the collection of disaggregated data for research, planning, and evaluation purposes; and building departmental capacity in applying an intersectional lens when designing programs, policies, and services.
In 2018, we established a senior Executive level GBA Plus Champion to disseminate information and tools, communicate special events and days related to GBA Plus, and provide support to departmental branches. Our Inclusion and GBA Plus Champion, the Associate Deputy Minister, provides leadership, support, and guidance to build GBA Plus awareness, recognizes achievements, instills a culture of pride for inclusion and GBA Plus, and advances priorities and important issues within the Department.
We also have a number of other Champions such as Veterans; 2SLGBTQI+ community; Indigenous Peoples; Racialized employees; Values and Ethics; Accessibility; Mental Health and Well-being that provide support to GBA Plus in their respective roles. All our Champions play a key role in supporting departmental and Government of Canada GBA Plus initiatives and priorities.
We have a GBA Plus Network which consists of members from each branch of the department, including representation from the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, the Office of the Veterans Ombud, and the Union of Veterans Affairs Employee to help build GBA Plus capacity across all areas by sharing knowledge and leveraging best practices, and acting as organizational points of contact for GBA Plus in their respective work areas.
The Policy and Research Division represents VAC on the GBA Plus Interdepartmental Committee led by Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada. This allows us to connect with other federal government departments and learn about best practices happening across the federal government.
Capacity
We have been including GBA Plus in all Budget proposals, Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions, and regulatory packages since 2016.
In April 2020, we released our GBA Plus Strategy. We continue to ensure that the Strategy is focused on changing the culture and raising awareness to integrate GBA Plus into the design from the outset of all new initiatives, and to be more responsive to specific needs of Veterans, ensuring that our policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive and barrier free. The Strategy is a broad policy framework which details our approach and sets the framework upon which all areas of the Department can contribute to enhancing GBA Plus capacity relevant to their functional area(s) of responsibility and integrating GBA Plus into our work at all stages of design, development, implementation, monitoring and decision-making.
As part of mainstreaming GBA Plus, we developed a GBA Plus Policy to function as a key policy driver to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in support of our GBA Plus Strategy. The policy details how we will continue to integrate GBA Plus principles into every aspect of our work, as well as reinforces the shared commitment across all areas from research, to policy, to service delivery, to audits and evaluations. The Policy supports clear responsibilities and accountabilities of our staff at all levels, emphasizing that GBA Plus is a shared responsibility, and to integrate a GBA Plus intersectional mindset into every aspect of our work to ensure programs, policies and services are designed in an inclusive and equitable manner. This work includes supporting GBA Plus training for all staff at all levels. For example, we have provided VAC-specific GBA Plus competency training, ‘Applying VAC’s GBA Plus Step Guide’ for Policy Analysts to assist with the review of program policies with a GBA Plus lens.
Meaningful engagement with affected Veterans with diverse lived experiences remains a critical component of GBA Plus. As an example, in May 2019, we held the first ever Women Veterans Forum which brought together Veterans, researchers, experts, and organizational leaders to discuss specific challenges women face in their life after service. As a result, the Office of Women and LGBTQ2 Veterans was created. In 2020, we hosted a series of four virtual events focused on Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans. Subsequently, Women Veterans Forums were held in February 2023 and March 2024. A commitment has been made to host an annual Women Veterans Forum to engage women (still-serving and Veterans) in order to strengthen our insight on specific initiatives and priority areas from their unique points of view and lived experience. These types of forums help to facilitate collaborative work with different Veteran communities, stakeholders, partners, and academia, and to integrate their responses into our work going forward to achieve equity for all Veterans.
We have an Information and Data Strategy designed to ensure data and information is better utilized to improve decision-making. We also maintain a data warehouse containing data extracted from various internal and external systems. We use these data points to make validated program data sets available with self-service dashboards based on program area reporting requirements, inclusive of GBA Plus data elements. This data provides program areas with ready access to information required to better monitor, manage and track program outcomes. This enhanced reporting tool allows more timely and accurate views of intersecting data elements as more data becomes available for use.
The 2021 Canadian Census of Population contained a Veteran Identifier that enables us to gain valuable information about Canada’s Veteran population. We are working with Statistics Canada to be able to link our program data with Statistics Canada’s census and survey data as part of Statistics Canada Disaggregated Data Action Plan. These data linkages will allow us to conduct an analysis of our programs using identity factors that we do not currently have the authority to collect, including information that will allow us to better understand our gender-diverse, Indigenous, and racialized Veterans.
Additionally, the 2024 VAC National Client Survey contained gender, Indigenous, and racialized population group indicators, which allows us to disaggregate and analyze by subpopulation. In addition, secondary analysis will provide new insights into satisfaction levels, to help improve service delivery, and support further research on the needs of Veterans.
We continue to implement the Government of Canada’s policy direction on the Modernization of Sex and Gender Information Practices, with a review when we require sex information and limiting who can view it in our systems to those who need it for decision making. We continue to explore ways to recognize gender diverse Veterans who wish to have their identity factors changed in our systems and acknowledged by our employees. As well, program areas are developing dashboards to be able to report on GBA Plus data as required.
In 2020 we published a strategic direction document, Timely disability benefits decisions: Strategic direction for improving processing times. This document outlined the measures we would take to improve our services to Veterans and their families by changing the way we work to make faster disability benefits decisions. The Strategic Direction document was updated and released in March 2023 and outlined the progress made over the past two years, and priorities to March 2024.
We have a team dedicated to processing claims from female applicants/Veterans. This team has assisted us in closing the gap in processing times for female and male applicants.
We will continue working to monitor the processing times for female disability benefit applications, which will always fluctuate, to ensure we maintain our current progress.
Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus
4.75 FTEs are dedicated to working on GBA Plus during the 2025–26 fiscal year. This includes the GBA Plus Champion as 1 FTE.
Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program
We continue to advance our GBA Plus initiative by enhancing data collection, analysis, and assessment of program impacts on gender and diversity. Currently, we collect and use several data points that support GBA Plus, such as sex at birth (Male/Female), age, official language, and geography. We are now working to expand this list, starting with the voluntary collection of gender identity. This information may be gathered when clients call our Contact Centre, use VAC’s online self-service portal, or visit an area office.
Additionally:
- We are collaborating with the Privacy and Information Management (PIM) team to confirm our legislative authority and to refine the purpose, necessity, and methods of collecting gender identity by reviewing and, if necessary, updating Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) and associated Personal Information Banks (PIBs).
- We are also working with Statistics Canada to explore linking program data with Census and other survey data (e.g., Canadian Veteran Health Survey, Indigenous Peoples Survey) as part of the Disaggregated Data Action Plan. These data linkages will enable us to analyze our programs through identity factors that we currently do not have the authority to collect, allowing us to better understand the needs of gender-diverse, Indigenous, and racialized Veterans.
These efforts enable further analysis of Veteran program participation by 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous, and racialized Veterans as well as by gender identity, allowing us to continually improve service delivery.
Core Responsibility 1: Benefits, Services and Support
Caregiver Recognition Benefit (CRB)
Program goals: The Caregiver Recognition Benefit provides a monthly tax-free payment (indexed annually) to the informal caregivers of a qualified Veterans to recognize the contribution that caregivers make to the health and well-being of seriously injured Veterans.
The Caregiver Recognition Benefit program continues to collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We are using existing client demographic data for the monitoring and reporting of current Caregiver Recognition Benefit (CRB) recipients with a GBA Plus lens. We are in the process of developing a CRB self-serve dashboard that will provide effective review, monitoring, and reporting of program impacts using readily available, up-to-date, and validated data.
In addition, we are developing a data collection plan for 2025–26 that will help to guide the collection and use of additional demographic information that we can use for the intersectional analysis required to develop, monitor, evaluate, and improve our programs. As we do not have the authority to collect demographic data (e.g., gender, Indigenous, and racial identities), we will work to link our program data with existing administrative data from the Statistics Canada Census and other survey sources. Through this, we will be able to conduct a more complete analysis of our programs that we will use for program improvements.
Disability Benefits (DB)
Program goals: The Disability Benefits Program recognizes the impact of a service-related injury or disease in the form of a tax-free financial compensation. The Disability Benefits Program produces weekly internal reports that include data related to language and biological sex to continue its commitment to gender parity in claims processing and to adjust workloads as required. Currently, there is sufficient data to administer and monitor the program but not to report program impacts through a full GBA Plus lens.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Disability Benefits Program collects data that monitors and/or reports impacts by biological sex, language, age, geography and some service characteristics. There is sufficient data to administer and monitor the program, and work continues to improve capabilities for GBA Plus analysis.
We continue to work on GBA Plus data as part of a larger departmental Data Strategy and Data Action Plan to improve collection, analysis and assessment of program impacts on gender and diversity. VAC has a Memorandum of Understanding with Statistics Canada to link program data with census and survey data to develop and implement a disaggregated data analysis of our programs to help us better understand the equity-deserving Veterans who use our benefits and services. Preliminary program level data analysis could begin in fiscal 2025–26 provided the data linkage is completed.
We will continue to use existing administrative and survey data available to administer and monitor the program. For example, we continue to use available data to ensure equitable service standard results between male and female applicants as well as between French and English-speaking clients. Although there will always be fluctuations as we work on oldest applications first, the continued focus on wait time reduction and ongoing monitoring of these turnaround times is essential to ensure parity.
VAC's multi-year modernization plan for its disability adjudication tools; the Entitlement Eligibility Guidelines (EEGs) and Table of Disabilities (TOD), has a targeted completion date of end of 2025. These tools are used to assess eligibility and the extent of a disability for the purposes of determining disability benefits and are being reviewed to ensure that they continue to be based on the most up-to-date health related evidence and provide for consistent and efficient decision-making. A GBA Plus methodology has been developed specific to this work and is being applied to the revisions of the EEGs and the TOD to ensure that these tools consider the diverse health related experience of Canadian Veterans.
Health Care Benefits
Program goals: The Health Care Benefits (HCB) Program provides eligible Veterans and other qualified individuals with financial support to access health care benefits (treatment benefits) to meet their identified needs. Treatment benefits include medical, surgical or dental examinations or treatment; surgical or prosthetic devices and aids and their maintenance; home adaptations to accommodate the use of devices or aids; preventive health care; pharmaceuticals; cannabis for medical purposes; mental health benefits; and travel and other expenses incurred to access these benefits. Since 1 April 2022, Veterans applying for certain mental health conditions can receive early access to coverage for mental health related services and benefits, while they await their disability decision.
Currently the HCB Program collects sufficient data to determine program eligibility and benefit entitlement. Existing client demographic data is captured at the departmental level and can be accessed for monitoring and reporting purposes. This departmental-level data includes age, sex, marital status, geographical location (derived from postal code), language, and a homelessness indicator. HCB Program Management can access client demographic data, working closely with enterprise data, corporate statistics and business intelligence within the Department, to inform their work and support the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients of health care benefits. In addition, third-party service providers who administer treatment benefits on behalf of the Department, collect and report on usage data for enhanced reporting capability where additional data elements are deemed necessary for the effective administration of the program.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We are enhancing our GBA Plus analysis capabilities for current Health Care Benefits recipients by exploring and implementing opportunities for new or improved reporting methods to better utilize existing data and provide additional insights. Information collected through our gateway programs which may not be specifically collected for Health Care Benefits may also be leveraged to inform GBA Plus. As our departmental Information and Data Strategy is implemented, additional data analysis improvements are anticipated.
Income Support
Program goals: The Income Replacement Benefit (IRB) is a taxable, monthly benefit that ensures Veterans’ total income will be at least 90 percent of their gross pre-release military salary, while they are participating in the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program.
The Canadian Forces Income Support (CFIS) is a tax-free monthly financial benefit for low-income Canadian Armed Forces Veterans who no longer qualify for the Income Replacement Benefit. The program provides financial support for those who have completed the rehabilitation program but are unable to find a post-military career or job or whose income is too low for them to meet their basic needs. It is also available to the survivors and dependent children of those Veterans.
Income Replacement Benefit and Canadian Forces Income Support programs use existing client demographic data captured at the departmental level for monitoring and reporting purposes, along with supporting the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The program collects data that it uses to monitor and/or report certain program impacts. These data include sex at birth, age, marital status, official language, geography, and some service characteristics.
We use existing client demographic data for monitoring and reporting on current Income Support recipients, using a GBA Plus lens. We are in the process of validating a dataset for the Income Support program, which will then be used to develop a self-service dashboard. This dashboard, which is expected to be available by the third quarter of 2025–26, will aid us in monitoring impacts of Income Replacement Benefits (IRB) decisions and identify trends. This will allow for effective review, monitoring and reporting program impacts using readily available, up-to-date, and validated data. In addition, we continue to develop a data collection plan that will help to guide the collection and use of additional demographic information that we can use for the intersectional analysis required to develop, monitor, evaluate, and improve our programs.
Long-term care (LTC)
Program goals: The Long-term Care (LTC) Program supports eligible Veterans who require nursing home type care to meet their needs, by providing financial support to Veterans towards the cost of their accommodation and meals for long term care. It also provides financial support to some establishments for an increased level of services and benefits.
The LTC Program collects sufficient data on application to determine program eligibility and benefit entitlement. Existing client demographic data is captured at the departmental level and can be accessed for monitoring and reporting purposes. This departmental-level data includes age, sex, marital status, geographical location (derived from postal codes), language, and a homelessness indicator. LTC Program Management, working closely with enterprise data, corporate statistics and business intelligence within the Department can use this demographic data to inform their work and support the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients of long-term care. Additionally, because LTC is a program that pays for access to services for eligible Veterans from independent service providers, the type of services offered will vary across facilities and provinces based on their own specific operating guidelines. Through the administration of these third-party service contracts, collection and reporting on disaggregated data is limited to the data elements that are available and deemed necessary for the effective administration of the program.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We use existing client demographic data captured at the departmental level for monitoring and reporting purposes, along with supporting the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients of Long Term Care. Information collected through our gateway programs, which may not specifically be collected for the Long Term Care program may also be leveraged to inform GBA Plus. As VAC’s Information and Data Strategy is implemented, additional improvements in data analysis will be incorporated.
Research and Innovation
Program goals: There are two Centres of Excellence within the Research and Innovation program: the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence and the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. The Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans was established to enhance the understanding of Veteran-specific chronic pain and its management. The Atlas Institute focuses on building knowledge networks with researchers across Canada to expand expertise in military and Veteran mental health, suicide prevention and substance use disorders.
VAC provides annual funding to these Centres of Excellence through an arm’s-length contribution agreement. Both submit an annual GBA Plus report on activities specifically targeted to the needs of the diverse Veteran population. Both Centres submit an annual GBA Plus report on activities targeted to the diverse Veteran population They also collect data to monitor and report on program impacts by gender and diversity, in compliance with federal GBA Plus guidelines. This includes submitting an annual GBA Plus report and using a GBA Plus Research Checklist with disaggregated data to identify potential differences due to multiple aspects of identity. The data collection helps identify gaps and set future priorities for GBA Plus implementation within the Centres. The Research Funding Program aims to enhance the well-being of Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, and their families by supporting Canadian research focused on these populations. This program includes operational funding for the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research.
The Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund provides grants and contributions to private, public, academic and Indigenous organizations across the country to implement community-based initiatives that support the well-being of Veterans and their families.
The program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In our Research and Innovation program, we include sub-programs consisting of Grant and/or Contribution agreements made with independent third parties who offer innovative services to Veterans and their families and/or conduct research to better understand and improve Veteran health and wellbeing.
The data that is collected through these programs stems from the reporting requirements stipulated in the agreements and not client specific demographic data. We continue to ensure that research funded by the Department conforms to principles of the Sex and Gender Equity in Research Guidelines (SAGER). These guidelines inform how we design, conduct, and report findings and ensure fair representation of women Veterans and underrepresented groups in our research initiatives. Data collection, analysis and reporting of disaggregated results/outcomes for funded proposals continue to represent Veteran sub-groups.
These sub-programs include the following:
- The Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR), which promotes and requires GBA Plus as part of VAC-funded research projects.
- The Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families and the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence respect the federal guidelines regarding GBA Plus and submit an annual GBA Plus report. In the annual GBA Plus report, the Centres of Excellence are asked to track and report on evidence of the use of the GBA Plus Research Checklist for each new research initiative and evidence of research activities specifically targeted to the mental health needs of the diverse Veteran population.
- The Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund requires organizations applying for funding to demonstrate how the proposed project could support equity seeking groups, align with GBA Plus considerations, and adhere to SAGER guidelines. The Veteran and Family Well-being Fund project reporting templates require organizations to describe how their projects apply GBA Plus. We are working to implement a new data management platform for applications and project reporting in order to improve data collection and analysis.
- The Research Funding Program requires researchers applying for funding to describe how the project will meaningfully consider, involve, and represent the full range of diversity and intersectionality across the study population, such as age, sex, gender, race, indigeneity, family status, and other life circumstances and vulnerability characteristics. Funding recipients are required to adhere to SAGER principles in their work, including how results for various identity characteristics will be reported in research findings.
Transition Services
Program goals: The Education and Training Benefit (ETB) is a taxable benefit that exists to provide funding to Veterans to help them achieve their education and post-military employment goals, better position themselves to be more competitive in the civilian workforce, and pursue activities that give them a sense of purpose. Veterans who have honourably released from the Canadian Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve Force), or members of the Supplementary Reserve, who have at least 6 years (2,191 paid days) of service may be eligible to receive up to $40,000 (indexed annually by the Consumer Price Index).Veterans and members of the Supplementary Reserve who have at least 12 years (4,382 paid days) of service may be eligible to receive up to $80,000 (indexed annually by the Consumer Price Index). Eligible clients can access ETB funding up to 10 years from their release/transfer date. ETB funding is paid directly to Veterans, who are then responsible for paying tuition and expense costs to the educational institution when needed. The amount of funding provided to an eligible Veteran depends on the cost and length of the approved program.
ETB uses existing client demographic data captured at the departmental level for monitoring and reporting purposes, along with supporting the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients.
A new contract for Career Transition Services (CTS) became operational in January 2023 and includes updated language to support all Government of Canada reporting requirements, including those for gender and diversity. Working with the national service provider will also allow VAC to gain valuable knowledge of best practices in private industry around equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program (RSVP) provides medical, psycho-social, and vocational rehabilitation services to eligible Veterans who experience health problem(s) that result primarily from service in the Canadian Armed Forces and are causing a barrier to life after service. It may also provide vocational assistance services to spouses and survivors. As of November 2022, these services are delivered through one national contractor, Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS).
The Veteran Family Program (VFP) offers medically-releasing CAF members and their families continued access to the Military Family Resource Centres and to a suite of transition-support programs and services. Through this program, a Veteran Family Telemedicine Service (VFTS) is being piloted. This pilot provides Medically released Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families, one year access to virtual care service, ensuring timely access to a primary care provider during the first year of transition
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We are using existing client demographic data for monitoring and reporting on the current Education and Training Benefit (ETB) recipients and Rehabilitation Program participants with a GBA Plus lens. This data includes sex at birth, age, official language, geography, and some service characteristics. A validated data set exists for ETB, which includes a self-serve dashboard allowing for effective review, monitoring, and reporting of program impacts using readily available, up-to-date, and validated data. This dashboard aids in the monitoring of ETB decisions to identify trends. The Rehabilitation Program relies on daily updated reports that provide insights into service access times, program costs, participant experience, and participant outcomes to support program management decisions.
Career Transition Service has improved data collection on geographic service distribution across all provinces and territories to ensure national coverage aligns with regional labour market trends. Additionally, we have enhanced systemic age-based analytics to help guide program development and job development support. In 2025–26, we also plan to enhance data collection on gender distribution of referrals.
In addition, we are developing a data collection plan for 2025–26 that will help to guide the collection and the use of additional demographic information to perform an intersectional analysis required to develop, monitor, evaluate, and improve our programs. As we do not presently have the authority to collect demographic data (e.g., gender, Indigenous, and racial identities), we will work with Statistics Canada to link our program data with existing administrative data from the Statistics Canada Census and other survey sources. With those linkages, we will be able to conduct a more complete program analysis to identify and implement improvements.
Both the Veteran Family Program, as well as the Veteran and Family Telemedicine Service fall under the Transition Services Program and are operationalized by our partners at Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Service (CFMWS). CFMWS is the owner of the GBA Plus data collected for both programs and as such provides us with basic statistical data that includes aggregated data that helps us and CFMWS to determine specific program needs with program performance results. The data can be further disaggregated to indicate client age range percentages, client gender percentages (male, female or other/unknown) and type of services that were accessed the most.
Veterans Emergency Fund (VEF)
Program goals: The Veterans Emergency Fund (VEF) is a $1M per fiscal year fund that exists to provide tax-free payments to Veterans and their families who are facing a financial emergency that is threatening their health and well-being. VEF is provided to cover essential needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and uninsured essential one-time medical needs. Eligible Veterans and their families can be approved for up to a maximum of $2,500 per fiscal year (or up to $10,000 in exceptional circumstances). VEF applicants will also be referred to other internal and external resources to assist them in the longer-term.
VEF uses existing client demographic data captured at the departmental level for monitoring and reporting purposes, along with supporting the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We are using existing client demographic data for monitoring and reporting on the current Veterans Emergency Fund recipients with a GBA Plus lens. This data includes sex at birth, age, marital status, official language, geography, and some service characteristics. A validated data set exists for this program, which includes a self-serve dashboard that allows for effective review, monitoring and reporting program impacts using readily available, up-to-date, and validated data. This dashboard aids with the monitoring of VEF decisions to identify program trends across the country. It also includes information such as the number of homeless applicants, as well as the items requested and funded.
In addition, we are developing a data collection plan for 2025–26 that will help to guide the collection and use of additional demographic information that we can use for the intersectional analysis required to develop, monitor, evaluate, and improve our programs. We currently do not have the authority to collect demographic data (e.g., gender, Indigenous, and racial identities), so we will work to link our program data with existing Statistics Canada Census administrative data from the Statistics Canada Census and other survey sources. Through this, we will be able to conduct a more complete analysis of VEF to establish program improvements.
Veterans Independence Program (VIP)
Program goals: The Veterans Independence Program helps eligible Veterans, their primary caregivers, and survivors remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible by providing funding towards the cost of services that support their independence. Services supported include: housekeeping, grounds maintenance, personal care, ambulatory care, access to nutrition, and professional health and support services. When remaining at home is no longer practical, the service can provide support with care in a community facility (nursing home care).
The VIP collects sufficient data on application to determine program eligibility and benefit entitlement. Existing client demographic data is captured at the departmental level and can be accessed for monitoring and reporting purposes. This departmental-level data includes age, sex, marital status, geographical location (derived from postal codes), language, and a homelessness indicator. VIP Program Management, working closely with enterprise data, corporate statistics and business intelligence within the Department, can use this demographic data to inform their work and support the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients of VIP services.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
We use existing client demographic data captured at the departmental level for monitoring and reporting purposes, along with supporting the GBA Plus analysis of current recipients. We are developing a dashboard for the Veterans Independence Program that will improve the program’s ability to conduct more timely and effective reviews, monitoring and reporting of program impacts using a GBA Plus lens and is developing new or enhanced reports that better utilize data currently captured. Information collected through our gateway programs which may not specifically be collected for the Veterans Independence Program may also be leveraged to inform GBA Plus. As VAC’s Information and Data Strategy is implemented, additional improvements in data analysis will be incorporated.
War Veterans Allowance (WVA)
Program goals: War Veterans Allowance is a tax free, monthly financial benefit for low-income Veterans of the Second World War and/or the Korean War and their survivors/orphans. It also provides important access to other VAC programs such as Health Care Benefits (Treatment Benefits), the Veterans Independence Program, the Long-Term Care Program, and the VAC Assistance Fund. The War Veterans Allowance collects sufficient data to monitor and report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Through the War Veterans Allowance program, we collect data that is used to monitor and report certain program impacts using a GBA Plus lens. This data includes sex at birth, age, marital status, official language, geography, and some service characteristics. We are currently looking at the best methods of improving data collection for this program while remaining within the privacy boundaries. As VAC’s Information and Data Strategy is implemented, additional improvements in data analysis will be incorporated.
In addition, we continue to develop a data collection plan that will help to guide the collection and use of additional demographic information that we can use for the intersectional analysis required to develop, monitor, evaluate, and improve our programs.
Core Responsibility 2: Commemoration
Canada Remembers Program
Program goals: Canada Remembers Program initiatives ensure that those who served in Canada’s military efforts are honoured and that the memory of their sacrifices and achievements is preserved. GBA Plus, including gender and other identifying factors (e.g. Indigenous identity), are considered to help inform the development and review of programming.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Canada Remembers Program aims to be inclusive in the materials it publishes and is cognizant of the need to represent the diverse experiences of the Veteran population. The Program also works to create materials that demonstrate gender balance as well as diverse cultural, ethnic and regional backgrounds. This is taken into consideration when developing learning resources, visitor centre exhibits, programming, and commemorative events and supporting delegations, both domestically and internationally. We will continue to apply GBA Plus when consulting with Canadians and Veterans to understand how their perspectives and preferences may align with numerous identity factors.
Funeral and Burial Program
Program goals: Funeral and burial assistance is provided through the Last Post Fund (LPF), a non-profit organization, to help pay for funeral and burial services, including a military gravestone, for eligible Veterans.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Our Funeral and Burial Program works with a third-party provider to ensure eligible Veterans receive a dignified funeral and burial. Currently, in order to administer the program, the third-party provider collects data on the date of birth of the client, date of death, sex, marital status, finances/income (assets and liabilities at time of death for Veteran and spouse, if applicable), military service information, health, family structure (whether there is a spouse and/or dependents), and Indigenous name of Veteran (if applicable). This information is used to determine eligibility and for administration of the program. The Funeral and Burial Program also monitors VAC clients who have passed away to ensure all clients who qualify for the Funeral and Burial Program receive this benefit. We worked with the LPF in 2024–25 to improve their reporting capabilities moving to better support us in collecting and analysing GBA Plus data, which will be used to better inform program results going forward.
Core Responsibility 3: Veterans Ombudsperson
Veterans Ombudsperson
Program goals: The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) advocates for fairness in VAC’s delivery of benefits and services to Canada’s diverse Veteran population. OVO reviews complaints and challenges the policies and decisions of VAC where we find individual or systemic unfairness. We strive to be an independent and respected voice for fairness and a champion for the well-being of Veterans and their families.
The program collects basic data to enable it to monitor and/or report on programs by gender and some demographic information. Currently there is a capacity to capture the following GBA Plus data through self-reporting by the client including: gender identity, service category (still serving, Veteran, RCMP, etc.), relationship to the Veteran (family member, representative, etc.), age and geographical location.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
As the program officially reports under VAC with respect to departmental reporting, including GBA Plus, there is an intention to align with the direction of VAC’s Information and Data Strategy to enhance GBA Plus analysis and reporting.
OVO partnered with VAC to implement improvements to the accuracy of OVO data analysis and reporting, with full implementation expected in 2025–26. The working relationship with VAC continues to enhance data collection through the VAC Client Survey.
Internal Services
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Within Internal Services, we are working to enhance our GBA Plus capacity in order to strive for service excellence in the delivery of VAC’s mission. In Internal Services, we collect sufficient data to enable us to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Finance:
- Leverage realignment of statistics functions to reinforce our ability to consider gender and diversity in resource allocation decisions, in accordance with Gender Budgeting Act principles.
Information Technology, Information Management, Administration and Privacy:
- Track attendance at security awareness and training sessions, and evaluate whether any groups are underrepresented and address barriers to participation.
- We are continuing to undertake activities to improve and build our GBA Plus knowledge and awareness so that we can provide better advice and guidance to VAC programs and services collecting and using GBA Plus data. In our Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Operations area, we have focused on increased cultural competency related to Indigenous Canadians and track completion of training activities. In early 2025, we will begin to waive the $5 fee for ATIP requests from Indigenous Canadians. Under current legislation, we do not have authority to collect or report on GBA Plus data related to the delivery of ATIP services.
Communications:
We use digital analytics (social media and web traffic monitoring), media monitoring, POR, Statistics Canada research, and stakeholder analysis to better understand our audience and inform our internal and external communication strategies. We are consistently seeking ways to improve monitoring and/or reporting techniques. Gender-inclusive recommendations which underscore the importance of a Veteran-centric, intersectional approach in all our communications are included in review of documents and communications recommendations provided to internal clients.
As part of our Communications planning function, target audiences are a key consideration. Factors such as age, geography, attitudes and opinions are important to understand the target audiences. Research is gathered from various sources (Statistics Canada, public opinion research, trade journals, etc.) and analyzed with a GBA Plus lens to ensure we are using the appropriate platforms, channels and tools to reach target audiences. Creatives are developed in ways that resonate with the target audiences and encourages them to engage with it. With intersectionality in mind, accessibility is also a key consideration. We aim to ensure that persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) are represented in our products. We write messaging in plain language to make it easier for all to understand. We aim to meet the audiences where they are, not push them to where we want them to go.