A departmental results report provides an account of actual accomplishments against plans, priorities and expected results set out in the associated Departmental Plan.
- VAC’s vision, mission, raison d’être, and operating context, and key risks
- The Veterans Ombud’s mandate
- Minister’s mandate letter
Key priorities
Our top priorities for 2023–24 were as follows:
- Service Excellence
- reduce processing times; support our most vulnerable Veterans (e.g., those who are struggling with mental illness, unemployment, or homelessness; or who belong to other underrepresented or marginalized groups); and, commemorate Veterans and their families.
- Modernization
- increase use of automation/digitization and update legacy systems; improve business processes, including effective data management; and, support a hybrid work model.
- Care for our People
- support employees’ health and well-being; cultivate a highly skilled, diverse, and inclusive workforce; and, empower and equip employees for success.
Highlights
In 2023–24, our total actual spending (including internal services) was $6.1 billion and total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) was 3,673.7. For complete information on our total spending and human resources, read the Spending and human resources section of the full report.
The following provides a summary of our achievements in 2023–24 according to our approved Departmental Results Framework. A Departmental Results Framework consists of a department’s core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Benefits, Services and Support
Actual spending: $5,838,792,540
Actual human resources: 2,675.6
Departmental results
- Veterans are physically and mentally well
- Focused on providing timely and comprehensive physical and mental health support to Veterans, including streamlining benefits processing, launching mental health initiatives, and expanding community outreach.
- Veterans and their families are financially secure
- Prioritized financial security for Veterans and their families by providing direct financial assistance, building partnerships for financial support, and enhancing access to various financial resources.
- Veterans have a sense of purpose
- Enhanced Veterans' sense of purpose and well-being by supporting their transition from the Canadian Armed Forces, conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment, advancing a social prescribing model for health management, and simplifying processes through new policy development and data analysis.
- Veterans are able to adapt, manage, and cope within post-service life
- Collaborated with DND to improve military-to-civilian transition by launching a national three-phased plan, enhancing support for medically released Veterans, piloting a Telemedicine Service, expanding employment initiatives, and improving service delivery through streamlined information sharing and client feedback.
- Veterans are living in safe and adequate housing
- Supported housing initiatives for homeless and at-risk Veterans by developing programs, increasing resources, and collaborating with partners, communities, and government departments to promote safe, stable housing and long-term stability.
- Veterans are socially supported
- Advocated for and supported social connections for Veterans by promoting services, partnering with other departments, and reaching thousands to help them build relationships and engage in their communities.
- Veterans are satisfied with the services they receive
- Enhanced services for Veterans by leveraging innovation, stakeholder engagement, and targeted research, resulting in reduced application backlogs, modernized decision-making tools, and expanded outreach efforts, while committing to efficiency, fairness, transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration with diverse communities.
More information about Benefits, Services and Support can be found in the “Results – what we achieved” section of the full departmental results report.
Commemoration
Actual spending: $51,223,309
Actual human resources: 84.0
Departmental results
- Veterans and those who died in service are honoured
- Achieved significant milestones in commemorating Canada’s military history and honoring Veterans by distributing educational resources, highlighting key anniversaries through events, preserving memorials, and reviewing historical sites, reflecting our commitment to supporting Veterans and preserving military heritage.
- Canadians remember and appreciate Veterans and those who died in service
- Enhanced visitor experiences at Canadian memorials by promoting educational initiatives, modernizing the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, undertaking conservation projects, improving accessibility, and supporting community projects through the Commemorative Partnership Program.
More information about Commemoration can be found in the “Results – what we achieved” section of the full departmental results report.
Veterans Ombudsperson
Actual spending: $4,680,678
Actual human resources: 33.3
Departmental results
- Veterans and their families have access to a timely review of complaints about the programs, services and support delivered by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio
- Achieved significant advancements in complaint handling and service quality by promptly assessing the majority of complaints, improving quality assurance and workflows, and establishing a Complaints Review Committee to enhance fairness and continuous improvement in resolution processes.
- Issues about the programs, services and support provided to Veterans and their families by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio identified by the Office of the Veterans Ombudsperson are addressed
- Conducted systemic reviews and published key reports while expanding outreach to Veterans and stakeholders through town halls and social media, creating new tools to navigate VAC processes, and addressing systemic unfairness in Disability Pensions Reductions and Pain and Suffering Compensation.
More information about Veterans Ombudsperson can be found in the “Results – what we achieved” section of the full departmental results report.