At Veterans Affairs Canada, we support the well-being and recognition of Canada’s Veterans and their families. We define well-being as a satisfied and fulfilled Veteran with purpose, who is financially secure, safely housed, in good health physically and mentally, highly resilient in the face of change, well-integrated in their community, proud and cognizant of their legacy and being valued and celebrated.
The population we serve at Veterans Affairs Canada is made up of approximately 650,000 former Canadian Armed Forces members of diverse age, financial circumstances, location, and family supports. This population has increasing and varying needs, and there is a risk that we will have difficulty meeting these needs while delivering timely, high quality services. To ensure we meet these needs we are continuously evolving and adapting what we do and how we do it by implementing new processes, increasing automation, leveraging technology and focusing on improving service delivery.
Deliver on our Mission
We strive to provide exemplary services and benefits to Canada’s Veterans, working quickly to respond to their needs with care, compassion and respect. We recognize that we need to work with other government departments and with individual Veterans and their families to address all aspects of well-being. We place Canada’s Veterans and their families at the centre of everything we do, and we are committed to making decisions that have been informed by evidence, feedback and careful testing. We will also continue to consider all aspects of Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) to ensure that our policies, programs and initiatives are free of bias.
What is Pension for Life?
Pension for Life includes adjustments to existing benefit programs and introduces three new benefits to recognize and compensate Veterans for disability resulting from service-related injury or illness.
- Pain and Suffering Compensation
- Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation
- Income Replacement Benefit
We are committed to honouring the sacrifices and achievements of all those who served in Canada’s military efforts. We will ensure the presentation and perpetual care of memorials, cemeteries and gravemarkers and we will engage Canadians in remembrance through various national and international events, learning resources and commemorative projects.
Highlights for 2019–20
- Launch Pension for Life, a holistic plan that reintroduces lifelong monthly compensation
- Create a comprehensive Veteran registry in partnership with Statistics Canada
- Commemorate the 75th anniversary of key Second World War milestones
- Continue to expedite repairs to Veteran graves cared for by the Department
Modernize, Improve and Adapt
We are continuously striving to enhance the way we serve Canada’s Veterans and their families. As the Veteran population continues to grow and evolve, we must respond with individualized support and efficient processes. We have made significant strides in the availability of online information and services, and we plan to continue those efforts through 2019–20. Veterans and their families are at the centre of everything that we do, and we will continue to consult them as we expand our online services.
We will look for ways to decrease the amount of paperwork required from Veterans and their families. This will reduce the complexity for those we serve and simplify processing for our employees. We are always working to improve our internal processes with partners like the Department of National Defence to exchange information quickly and securely. We will also explore new ways of working with Canadian Armed Forces bases to streamline the transition process, and provide thorough advice, guidance and support to members prior to their release.
Highlights for 2019–20
- Improve decision times by hiring additional employees, improving processes and streamlining adjudication
- Pilot new transition processes with Canadian Armed Forces
- Implement new electronic case management tools
Care for our People
Employees at Veterans Affairs Canada are committed to delivering services and benefits to Veterans and their families with care, compassion and respect. We are committed to creating a workplace that empowers employees and equips them with all of the tools they need to provide exemplary service to Veterans and their families. We value teamwork, and we promote consultation and open communication to create a positive workplace where employees feel appreciated.
Employees who are engaged and informed are better able to support Veterans and lead Canadians in paying tribute to the contribution and sacrifice of all who have served and continue to serve. We are committed to expanding training opportunities, leadership development and performance management to support employees across the department.
Highlights for 2019–20
- Strengthen recruitment, onboarding, learning, leadership development and succession planning
- Establish a five year project team to help stabilize employee pay
- Provide employees with updated technology and modern tools
- Incorporate flexible work environments through Government of Canada (GC) Workplace
For more information about Veterans Affairs Canada’s plans, priorities and the planned results, see the Planned results section of this report.