ISSN: 2819-5612
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The Departmental Evaluation Plan provides an overview of planned evaluations to be conducted by the Audit and Evaluation Division over the next five years (2025-2026 through 2029-2030). Every year VAC assesses, identifies and prioritizes its five-year evaluation coverage needs through consultation with VAC senior managers and the Treasury Board Secretariat. The key driver for evaluation coverage is the Financial Administration Act and the Policy on Results. Where possible, the plan considers risk and need, and alignment with VAC’s Risk Based Audit Plan.
| Program (2025-2026 Program inventory)Footnote 1 | Title of planned evaluation | Planned evaluation approval (fiscal year) | Total spending covered by the evaluation (2025-26 spending) | Rationale for delay or no planned evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability Benefits | Evaluation of the Pain and Suffering Compensation | 2025-2026 | $3,247,328,000 | Not applicable |
| Research and Innovation | Evaluation of the Research and Innovation Program | 2025-2026 | $20,091,291 | Not applicable |
| Caregiver Recognition Benefit | Evaluation of the Caregiver Recognition Benefit | 2026-2027 | $44,961,982 | Not applicable |
| Long Term Care | Evaluation of the Long Term Care and Intermediate Care Component of the Veterans Independence Program | 2026-27 | $166,448,801 | Not applicable |
| Funeral and Burial Program | Evaluation of the Funeral and Burial Program | 2026-2027 | $7,431,818 | Not applicable |
| Transition Services | Evaluation of the Education & Training Benefit | 2028-2029 | $34,128,000 | Not applicable |
| Veterans Independence Program (VIP) | Evaluation of VIP Housekeeping and Grounds Maintenance | 2028-2029 | $348,813,000 | Delayed to due resource constraints and risk analysis. Prioritizing VIP Intermediate Care to be evaluated first in this five-year cycle. |
| Canada Remembers Program | Evaluation of the Commemorative Partnership Programs and Cemetery and Grave Maintenance | 2028-2029 | $39,444,303 | Delayed due to resource constraints and risk analysis. Prioritizing other FAA requirements in this five-year cycle. Additionally, resource constraints and need to meet FAA requirements limits VAC's capacity to evaluate program components that are not grant and contribution funding program, such as Domestic and Overseas Events, Memorials, Learning Program, and Honours and awards. |
| Income Support | Evaluation of the Income Replacement Benefit | 2029-2030 | $1,598,547,864 | Not applicable |
| Disability Benefits | Evaluation of the Disability Benefits Program | 2030-2031 | $3,634,248,000 | Not applicable. Includes main Disability Benefits of Disability Pension, Pain and Suffering Compensation and Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation. Evaluation of APSC will be delayed one year in order to be combined with the broader Disability Benefits Program Evaluation. Delay is projected due to resource constraints and risk analysis. |
| Veteran Support Services (Rehabilitation Program) | Not applicable | Not applicable | $0 | Resource constraints and need to meet FAA requirements limits VAC's capacity to evaluate this program. |
| Health Care Benefits | Not applicable | Not applicable | $0 | Resource constraints and need to meet FAA requirements limits VAC's capacity to evaluate Health Care Benefit programs in the current cycle. Treatment Benefits was last evaluated in 2017-18 and portions of the FHCPS processing and costs were considered during the planning phase. |
| Office of the Veterans Ombudsman | Not applicable | Not applicable | $0 | Program is not a grant and contribution, so there is no requirement under FAA for an evaluation. Less than $5M average annual expenditures. Last evaluated in 2019-20. |
Note: in addition to the above, there are a number of programs that fall under the $5 million annual average program expenditure threshold, for example War Veterans Allowance and Veterans Emergency Fund as well as internal services that are not included.