3.0 Continued need and program reach

3.1 Continued need

The Cemetery and Grave Marker Maintenance Program and the Funeral and Burial Program fall under the Department’s “Commemoration” Core Responsibility to “pay tribute to the sacrifices and achievements of those who served in Canada’s military efforts”.

From a public perspective, evidence supports a continued demand from Canadians that VAC provide and maintain Veteran graves and markers. The recent Attitudes Towards Remembrance and Veterans’ Week 2020 Survey indicates that 92% of Canadians consider it important that VAC recognize and honour Canadian Veterans and those who died in service through the presentation and care of memorials, cemeteries, and grave markers (exceeding the performance target of 85%^{Footnote 6}). Public sentiment has remained consistent over the past ten years, ranging from 88% to 93%.

3.1.1 Program uptake

3.1.1.1 Funeral and Burial Program – target population

Applications for the Funeral and Burial Program have been declining over the past number of years. The decline in uptake for Funeral and Burial benefits is largely due to changing Canadian Veteran demographics. The large cohort of older War Service Veterans, which traditionally make up the program clientele, is rapidly dwindling (the average War Service [WS] Veteran^{Footnote 7} is 94 years old versus the average Canadian Armed Forces [CAF] Veterans^{Footnote 8} at age 60). Table 4 shows how the Canadian Veteran demographic is shifting.

Source: VAC annual Facts and Figures (2017-2021). Annual population figures as of fiscal year-end (March 31).

Based on the changing Veteran demographics, the Funeral and Burial Program target population is shifting as well. Forecasting funeral and burial need is difficult. Though CAF Veterans have access to income replacement benefits through VAC (and some have military career pensions), income does not necessarily equate to savings/unencumbered assets. Also, the cost of living and personal debt is rising in Canada. It is difficult to measure future program uptake as the income testing for Funeral and Burial is based on a calculation of assets minus debt, not just income. The 2020 Canadian Census conducted by Statistics Canada included a Veteran indicator. Analysis of census data has not yet been released^{Footnote 9}, however, it is expected that the information may help define the potential target population.

VAC client data (as opposed to overall Veteran population data) indicates that although War Service Veterans only represented approximately 9% of the total VAC Veteran clientele as of 31 March 2020, more War Service Veterans deaths were recorded over the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020, than CAF deaths. War Service deaths continue to outpace CAF deaths year over year, though as Table 5 shows, the gap between the two service types is narrowing as the War Service population shrinks.

*As of 31 March 2021

Source: AED analysis of VAC Statistics Unit Data

The number of Veteran deaths that occur each year impacts the number of potential applications for the Funeral and Burial Program. Since April 1, 2017, 2,855 means-tested funeral and burial applications were approved by the Last Post Fund. Approval rates for means-tested Funeral and Burial benefits over the past six years are consistent, ranging from a low of 45% to a high of 48% (see Table 6). Disallowed claims are mainly the result of applicants not meeting the financial assessment criteria (i.e., their assets were determined sufficient to provide a dignified funeral and burial). While the Last Post Fund tracks the number of payments resulting from matter of right decisions, neither the Last Post Fund nor VAC track the actual number of matter of right decisions that are made. In some cases, favourable matter of right decisions do not result in Funeral and Burial benefit payments, for example instances where next of kin cannot be reached or they do not submit paperwork.

Source: AED analysis of Last Post Fund data published in the 2021 Last Post Fund Annual Report and 30 September 2021 Operational Dashboard.

As seen in Table 5, CAF deaths are trending to outpace War Service deaths in the near future (deaths for each service type were nearing equal in 2020-21). The evaluation team was not able to analyze the full program data set (this is further discussed in section 5.1.4, Analysis of client data), however a sub-set of data (2,452) reviewed by the evaluation team indicates War Service and CAF Veterans received approximately the same number of approvals for Funeral and Burial benefits between 2017-18 and 2020-21 (1,233 War Service Veterans approved for means-tested, and 1,218 CAF approved).

Last Post Fund Unmarked Grave Program

While Funeral and Burial applications have decreased, data provided by the Last Post Fund indicates that interest in the Unmarked Grave Program is growing (as shown in Figure 1). Interviews with Last Post Fund staff indicate there is a growing inventory of unmarked grave applications (840 pending review/decision as of December 2021). Last Post Fund staff estimate 980 applications will be approved in fiscal year 2022-23. The recent interest in unmarked graves over the past three years can be attributed to:

1. Increased awareness of the program – the Last Post Fund is actively promoting the initiative via social media. VAC Canada Remembers social media highlights stories as well.
2. COVID-19 pandemic – Last Post Fund staff have noted increased interest from volunteer researchers due to pandemic measures that have restricted other activities (at present, more than 40 researchers across the country are actively searching for unmarked graves).
3. Lost Veterans Initiative – the initiative was launched in February 2021 as a means of providing support for the many volunteers who assist in researching unmarked Veteran graves. The initiative supports volunteers by providing a platform for researchers to share tools and to access support from the Last Post Fund. As part of the initiative, free access to genealogical and related databases has been secured for researchers.

Continued need

As Figure 1 shows, there are contrasting trends between the Funeral and Burial Program and Unmarked Grave Program. While fewer applications for Funeral and Burial benefits have been submitted since 2017-18, requests for markers through the Last Post Fund Unmarked Grave Program are growing as the program has gained attention. Amidst the onset of the pandemic, unmarked grave applications have been increasing, as illustrated in the 2021-22 year-to-date figures (December 2021) which are almost at the previous years total with three months of the year remaining.

Figure 1 – Distribution of workload types^{Footnote 11}

*Year-to-date as of 31 December 2021

Source: Last Post Fund Operational Dashboard March 2019, March 2020, March 2021, and December 2021

Approval rates for Unmarked Grave Program applications are consistently higher than for traditional Funeral and Burial benefits (91%-97% from 2017-18 to 2020-21). This is owing to the thoroughness of volunteer researchers who conduct fieldwork, research service information, and complete program application forms and to the absence of a financial means test requirement. Interviews with Last Post Fund staff indicate that researchers are generally exercising due diligence to ensure that only those applications that appear to have the required documentation are being submitted^{Footnote 12}.

Though there are a finite number of unmarked Veteran graves, it is difficult to forecast how many will be discovered. As Figure 1, Distribution of workload types shows, approvals for the Unmarked Grave Program are trending upwards and are on pace to exceed Funeral and Burial benefits in 2021-22.

Last Post Fund Indigenous Veterans Initiative

The Indigenous Veterans Initiative is a subcomponent of the Last Post Fund Unmarked Grave Program and is funded through VAC’s annual fiscal allotment to the Last Post Fund. The Last Post Fund initiative requires research and community support from members of Indigenous communities throughout Canada to help identify the unmarked graves of Indigenous Veterans. The initiative also provides for the inscription of Indigenous names on existing grave markers and the carving of culturally relevant symbols. To date, 23 Indigenous researchers from across the country have joined the initiative. The Last Post Fund reports that since the initiative started in 2019:

• 270+ unmarked graves of Indigenous Veterans have been found^{Footnote 13};
• 130 grave markers have been placed or are on order;
• Requests have been received for traditional names in 6 distinct Indigenous languages (Algonquin, Blackfoot, Cree, Interior Salishan, Inuktitut, Saulteaux); and
• Seven Indigenous symbols for headstone inscriptions have been created by Cree artist Jason Carter, to be used in perpetuity as alternatives to the traditional Christian cross.

The Indigenous Veterans Initiative is directly aligned to the priorities of the Government of Canada. Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is a goal identified in the 2015 through 2021 Speeches from the Throne. The 2021 Mandate Letter to the Minister of Veterans of Affairs also underscores the need to move faster on the path to reconciliation and to work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to advance their rights.

Given the cross-country reach of the initiative, the number of Indigenous graves identified in the first two years of operation, and the initiative’s potential to advance reconciliation, the evaluation finds that VAC should continue to support the Last Post Fund Indigenous Veterans Initiative.

3.1.1.2 Cemetery and Grave Marker Maintenance

The evaluation finds that there is a need for the Cemetery and Grave Marker Maintenance Program. VAC’s Attitudes Towards Remembrance and Veterans’ Week 2020 Survey shows that more than 90% of Canadians believe it is important to maintain Veteran memorials, graves, and markers. Need for the program is also indicated by the number of public enquiries regarding cemetery and grave marker maintenance that VAC receives each year. This is an indication of the importance that the general public has placed on well-maintained Veteran graves. As Table 7 indicates, enquiries have more than tripled over the period of the evaluation.

Source: VAC Commemoration Division

Interviewees indicate that enquiries relating to grave marker maintenance are continuing to rise through 2021-22. Since the last evaluation, VAC has provided contact information on its external website to accept grave marker maintenance requests. Interviewees suggested the increase in requests is partly attributable to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions prompting Canadians to participate in more outdoor activities, leading to increased graveyard visitation and the identification of graves requiring maintenance.

The need for the program is also reflected in the requests for burials in VAC’s God’s Acre Cemetery. God’s Acre was recently expanded to accommodate another 1,500+ interments. The program area estimates that approximately 40-50 interments are occurring each year.

3.2 Alignment with government priorities and federal roles and responsibilities

3.2.1 Alignment with Government of Canada priorities

The Government of Canada continues to emphasize its support to Veterans in its commitments to the Canadian public.

As identified in the 2017 Evaluation of Commemorative Benefits and Services, through the 2013 and 2015 speeches from the throne, the Government made a commitment to ensure dignified funerals for our injured Veterans. The 2015 Mandate Letter to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence supported this commitment by entrusting the Department to double the funding to the Last Post Fund.

Budget 2018 stated that the Department is committed to honouring the sacrifice of Veterans through the maintenance of graves and grave markers for Canadians who were buried or had grave markers erected by the Government of Canada. In response to the 2017 evaluation, Budget 2018 allocated $24.4 million over five years to eliminate the backlog of 45,000 graves requiring repairs (approximately 57,000 total corrective actions as some graves had more than one maintenance issue).

The 2020-21 Departmental Plan states that “the Department will continue to make sure that memorials, cemeteries and grave markers are preserved and cared for….”. Linked to the departmental result that Veterans and those who died in service are honoured, the Departmental Plan also indicates completing year three of the five-year project to address grave marker maintenance work as a key activity.

The evaluation finds that the Programs addresses the Government’s priority to recognize Veterans through:

• the provision of funding and resources to cemetery and grave marker maintenance; and
• the provision of financial assistance for the funeral and burial of Veterans in financial need or for those that died as a result of service-related injury or illness.

3.2.2 Alignment with federal roles and responsibilities

Under Section 5 of the Department of Veterans Affairs Act and the authority of Privy Council Order 1965–688, the Minister of Veterans Affairs is entrusted with the primary responsibility for all matters relating to the commemoration of the war dead and recognition of the achievements of all Veterans.

Pursuant to the Act, The Veteran Burial Regulations state that financial assistance towards last sickness, funeral, burial and cremation costs is payable if there is insufficiency of funds or if death was as a result of a service-related injury or an injury/disease that was attributable to service. In addition, the regulations state that a gravemaker be provided and installed for these individuals (if no other organization has done so). Maintenance to grave markers is also identified in the regulations:

“If a gravemarker or financial assistance towards funeral, burial and cremation costs have been provided under these Regulations…all necessary maintenance of the gravemarker must be provided by the Minister, including the replacement or refurbishment of the gravemarker…”^{Footnote 14}

The evaluation finds that the Programs contribute to the Department fulfilling these responsibilities.

The 2019-2020 Departmental Results Report highlighted VAC’s commitment to ensure:

• Veterans and those who died in service are honoured; and
• Canadians remember and appreciate Veterans and those who died in service.

The Programs directly supports VAC’s commemorative responsibilities through the provision of funding and services to ensure the sacrifices of those who served Canada in war, military conflict, and peace are not forgotten.

The Programs also align with the third goal in the Canada Remembers Program Plan for Commemoration to “preserve and maintain Government of Canada memorials, including the Books of Remembrance and Veteran grave markers in a sustainable and dignified way.”