Core Responsibilities: planned results and resources

CR1: Benefits, Services and Support

Description: Support the care and well-being of Veterans and their dependents or survivors through a range of benefits, services, research, partnerships, and advocacy.

Planning highlights

Under this core responsibility, we continue to work on improving our benefits and services to Veterans and other clients through various initiatives.

Departmental result: Veterans are physically and mentally well.

The following plans will contribute to this departmental result in 2022-23:

• Reducing processing times for disability benefit applications is our number one priority. For example:
  • We published Timely disability benefits decisions: Strategic direction for improving wait times in June 2020. Since then, we have made progress and will continue to advance this work in 2022-23. We will continue to report transparently, updating quarterly via our Disability Benefit Processing – Summary Report.
  • We received approximately $28M through Budget 2021 to: extend some resources for 2022-23; and to further develop automated processes.
  [MLCs: reduce wait times]
• We will continue to improve our approach to case management services to ensure a balanced delivery model. Efficiencies in our practices will ensure Veterans receive the right level of services at the right time based on their needs, risk, and complexity to improve their well-being.
• Further to Budget 2021, we will introduce the new Mental Health Benefits initiative. Starting in April 2022, Veterans living in Canada who apply for a disability benefit for certain mental health conditions – as well as those waiting for a decision – will qualify for early Mental Health Benefits coverage. Veterans will be covered for up to two years, regardless of the outcome of their application. [MLC: mental health resources, services and training programs]
• We will continue to monitor the progress of the Veteran Family Telemedicine Service pilot program we are funding in partnership with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. It gives medically released Veterans and their families free virtual health services which provides access to a national network of doctors, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers.
• Starting 1 April 2022, the contribution agreement with the Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related Mental Health Conditions will extend for an additional 5 years. In 2022-23, we will also start work with the Centre of Excellence on Chronic Pain to renew their contribution agreement which currently ends on 31 March 2023.
• We will continue to collect data and information, study, and learn. We will:
  • work with Statistics Canada to learn about modern-day Canadian Veterans based on data from the 2021 Census and to produce key Veteran health estimates through the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability and the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey.
  • partner with McGill University and the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to measure long-term health paths of older Veterans to better understand their experiences and their needs.
  • continue to collaborate with and support the work of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research through a 10-year funding agreement ending in 2030.
• Through the Veterans and Family Well-being Fund, we will continue to support organizations that are undertaking research, initiatives and projects that support the well-being of Veterans and their families, including those impacted by COVID-19, as committed in Budget 2021.

Departmental result: Veterans and their families are financially secure.

We will undertake the following activities to advance this departmental result:

• We will leverage available data to better understand the financial position and needs of our diverse Veteran population.
• Continue to reduce complexity and improve service delivery to strengthen the delivery of Income Support Programs by holding regular meetings with the CAF to discuss processes, improving shared online tools and increasing data-sharing, further aligning processes and systems between departments. [MLC: work with Department of National Defence (DND) to simplify, improve and strengthen]
• Consistent with Canada’s National Financial Literacy Strategy, we will conduct evidence-based research on the financial knowledge, abilities, and behaviours of Veterans to better understand factors relevant to their financial well-being. In turn, we will use this information to identify and leverage resources to better support them.
• We will strengthen financial supports for low-income Veterans, survivors and their families by increasing benefits available to them through the Canadian Forces Income Support (CFIS) benefit and the War Veterans Allowance (WVA) in line with the Old Age Security (OAS) increase scheduled for July 2022.
• Through the Veterans Emergency Fund, we will continue providing emergency financial assistance to support Veterans and their families who are facing an immediate financial crisis that threatens their health and well-being.

Departmental result: Veterans have a sense of purpose.

To contribute to this departmental result:

• We will identify opportunities for Veteran employment by: [MLCs: work with the DND to simplify, improve and strengthen; National Veterans Employment Strategy]
  • promoting Veteran-hirings in the private sector in Canada by updating the contract for career transition services to reflect the latest digital advancements in employment support services;
  • working with others to champion Veterans as skilled, experienced, and diverse candidates for the future workforce in a post-pandemic environment; and,
  • providing personalized support and coaching to help Veterans transition into a range of private, public and self-employment career opportunities.
  • supporting projects related to employment, retraining and job skills through the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund;
  • ensuring that key stakeholders, organizations, and industries that support Veteran employment are included in the development of the Department’s strategic vision in this area; and,
  • developing a National Veteran Employment Strategy with the goal of ensuring that every Veteran can find meaningful work after release.
• We will help Veterans find purpose through volunteer activities and community engagement by learning new skills, leveraging funding from either the Education and Training Benefit or through courses and workshops funded through the Veterans and Family Well-Being Fund. [MLC: work with the DND to simplify, improve and strengthen]

Departmental result: Veterans are able to adapt, manage, and cope with post-service life.

In 2022-23, the following activities will contribute to this departmental result:

• We will implement a new national rehabilitation services contract that will provide streamlined, high-quality services. Highlights include:
  • A single point of contact for Case Managers to ensure streamlined service delivery;
  • Timely coordination and oversight to ensure Veterans receive the support and services when and where it is needed;
  • training for all contractor employees and 3rd party providers on our Rehabilitation program, military culture, cultural sensitivity, Gender-based Analysis (GBA) Plus and accessibility; and,
  • Decreased administrative tasks for Case Managers providing more time to connect, assess overall Veterans’ needs and monitor progress.
• We will advance our work on the Closing the Seam project and CAF/Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Seamless Transition Task Force initiative by:
  • Improving shared online tools and platforms to link services and by increasing data-sharing with the DND while further aligning our processes and systems; and,
  • Following the conclusion of the Transition Trials in December 2021, we plan to roll-out the joint Military to Civilian Transition (MCT) process at each Transition Center by 2024. This will happen in a staggered approach with three phases beginning January 2022 in partnership with CAF.
  [MLCs: work with the DND to simplify, improve and strengthen]
• We will develop solutions to support ongoing departmental priorities and initiatives to ensure that programs and services are designed to meet the needs of users. We will focus on the processes and tools used to adjudicate disability applications in an effort to help reduce processing times. [MLCs: reduce wait times]

Departmental result: Veterans are living in safe and adequate housing.

To contribute to this departmental result, we will:

• continue to make emergency funding available to Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless via the Veterans Emergency Fund.
• work with our partners on Veteran housing initiatives through the Veterans and Family Well-being Fund, as per the commitment in Budget 2021, to help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless establish safe and secure environments and to develop long-term stability.
• continue to work with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Infrastructure Canada, to meet the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensure that every Veteran has a place to call home, and to support the development and implementation of a Veteran Homelessness Program announced in Budget 2021 and other housing supports.
• conduct proactive outreach with Veterans, their families, and with organizations who work with the homeless when emergency situations arise, to ensure our most vulnerable Veterans’ basic needs are met and they can access the supports they need when and where they need them.

Departmental result: Veterans are socially supported.

In 2022-23, the following activities will contribute to this departmental result:

• We will contribute to initiatives, such as the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) expansion, to ensure consideration is given to impacts on Veteran programming as service members and Veterans seek benefits, services, and support for physical and/or mental health conditions related to sexual trauma during service. We will engage with the DND and the SMSRC to pilot online and in-person peer support services for CAF members and Veterans who have experienced sexual misconduct during their military service. [MLC: support for those affected by sexual misconduct in the military]
• Renewal of the contract for the delivery and evaluation of the Mental Health First Aid program. [MLC: mental health resources, services and training programs]
• Assessing the social integration needs of Veterans as part of the case management process to support positive outcomes for their efforts to build social relationships and engage within their community.

Departmental result: Veterans are satisfied with the services they receive.

We are committed to ensuring Veterans are satisfied with our services. In 2022-23, we commit to the following:

• To reduce processing times for the most common disability benefit applications, we will continue to leverage existing research, learn from our partners, modernize the tools used by decision-makers, and continue to develop computer-assisted processes to improve the transfer and input of information. [MLC: reduce wait times]
• To improve our services to strategically use data and new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence to improve processes and shorten processing times so that Veterans can access benefits and services in a timely manner. [MLC: reduce wait times]
• Further to the review of the disability benefits reassessment process, we are working to:
  • send requests directly to medical advisory for reassessment for certain conditions, which normally are reviewed by that office; and, [MLC: reduce wait times]
  • design and implement clear and concise communications to Veterans that explains the reassessment process in plain language.
• We will begin to modernize the Table of Disabilities in order to provide the best service possible to Veterans.
• We are continuing improvements to our Entitlement Eligibility Guidelines (EEGs), which will allow us to make faster decisions on the entitlement aspect of a Veteran’s application. [MLC: reduce wait times]
• Develop an action plan in response to the 2021 consultations held with Veterans on the barriers Veterans face in applying for Disability Benefits This report is expected to be released in 2022. [MLC: reduce wait times]
• Bureau of Pensions Advocate’s (BPA) Veteran Excellence Team initiative in 2021-22 proved that using junior lawyer teams and simplified Statements of Case to address simple claim types results in faster service for Veterans. The Bureau will work toward integrating processing efficiencies into regular operations. [MLC: reduce wait times]
• We will apply human-centred design when advancing the “Digital @ VAC” initiative to achieve digital end-to-end services. Veterans and their families will be engaged to ensure their needs and challenges are addressed in the design of tools and technology.
• We will support employees to better serve Veterans and their families with the use of user validated digital tools and increased digital skill sets.
• We will work with stakeholders to study best practices in meeting the needs of women and LGBTQ2 Veterans, and survivors of military sexual trauma to foster a culture of inclusion, open communication and collaboration, understanding, trust, and compassion. [MLC: support for those affected by sexual misconduct in the military]
• We will work with Women and Gender Equality Canada which is leading the first ever LGBTQ2 Federal Action Plan by consulting with LGBTQ2 Veterans and LGBT Purge Survivors about their unique service-related needs and any potential systemic challenges or barriers they face in accessing equitable programs and services. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• The pandemic has changed many processing aspects, in some instances for the better. We will continue to pursue virtual opportunities to streamline processes in assessing a Veterans medical condition. Many of our medical staff have shifted to completing virtual assessments saving Veterans from having to travel great distances to one of our offices. Staff are also engaging non-VAC community physicians to assist with Medical Questionnaires when a Veteran has difficulty getting a family physician.
• To better understand Veteran satisfaction with VAC services, we will:
  • implement a user survey in My VAC Account focused on the online application process.
  • Complete a secondary analysis of the 2022 National VAC Client Survey to provide insight into satisfaction levels, help improve service delivery, and support further research on the needs of Veterans.
  • Analyze data from quarterly user satisfaction surveys from My VAC Account to provide an up-to-date understanding of Veteran needs, allowing us to engage in continuous service improvement.
  • Launch a digital client satisfaction questionnaire for BPA clients.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)

As our client population continues to diversify, we expect to see an increased need for supports for women, gender and sexual minorities, as well as from groups representing a variety of intersecting identity factors such as race, ethnicity, indigeneity, religion, social status, age, ability, etc. Multiple identity factors intersect and have an impact on individuals’ needs and therefore the effectiveness of our benefits, programs and services. In 2022-23, we will:

• Continue to support the implementation of the Veterans Affairs Canada Gender-Based Analysis Plus Strategy to fully integrate GBA Plus into our work at all stages of design, development, implementation, monitoring and decision-making; supporting the development of tailored training and resource tools; and supporting the application of a GBA Plus lens on all Budget Proposals, Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions and Regulatory Packages. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• Continue to refine the analysis and reporting of GBA Plus information to enable a deeper understanding of Veterans unique needs related to the domains of well-being, and to identify potential barriers with the outcome of improving (or increasing) equitable access to programs, benefits and services for all Veterans. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• Support the implementation of the Government of Canada’s policy direction on the Modernization of Sex and Gender Information Practices through the Gender Inclusive Services Project, which outlines best practices for reporting on information related to sex and gender.
• Continually work to improve accessibility of My VAC Account, as well as other external and internal VAC systems to ensure their ease of use and understandability by diverse groups. This includes ensuring any identifying information across systems is gender inclusive, and reviewing all new enhancements to ensure they meet or exceed accessibility standards, in accordance with the Standard on Web Accessibility and the Policy on Service and Digital. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• Develop and implement a Sex-and GBA Plus Action plan for disability benefits to identify areas for improvement and plans to address issues raised. The action plan will demonstrate action, progress, and tangible improvements within VAC. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• Begin to and improve the Table of Disabilities, using GBA Plus to provide evidence-based decisions concerning the disability which are reflective of sex, gender, and other identity factors. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• A new Sexual Dysfunction EEG was implemented in 2022. This new EEG will address gaps in guidance related to sexual dysfunction. All new EEGs developed over the next year will apply a GBA Plus review to ensure they are reflective of sex, gender and other underrepresented groups such as Indigenous, Black and racialized Veterans, and Veterans with disabilities. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]
• Continue to ensure that research funded by the Department conforms to principles of Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER). These guidelines inform how we design, conduct, and report findings to ensure equitable representation of women Veterans and underrepresented groups in our research initiatives. [MLC: ensure benefits/services meet the needs of underrepresented Veterans]

United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

We are committed to supporting Canada’s efforts to implement the UN’s 2030 Agenda for SDGs. Of the 17 SDGs, this Core Responsibility contributes to these specific goals:

SDG 1: No Poverty

These existing programs directly contribute to this SDG:

• Income Support; Transition Services; Health Care Services; Long Term Care; Caregiver Recognition Benefit.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

We provide support to Veterans whose needs and complexity levels are highly varied:

• Veterans who are self-sufficient with minimal needs are accessing services and benefits using My VAC Account or by phone.
• Veterans with moderate needs are accessing services and benefits through Guided Support from a Veteran Service Agent, who becomes their primary point of contact.
• Veterans with complex and challenging needs are accessing Case Management Services, where a Case Manager provides a specialized service which is adapted to their individual challenges and needs.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• We have several programs that provide financial support for education, training and their related financial costs for Veterans and their families.

SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

• The Office of Women and LGBTQ2 Veterans supports these UN goals by working collaboratively with women and LGBTQ2 Veterans, stakeholders and Departmental areas to ensure that their voices are heard. The Office engages Veterans with diverse lived experiences to help inform research and the development of benefits, programs and services that impact them. This collaborative approach supports the empowerment of historically marginalized groups and supports equitable outcomes for all.
• We added a team dedicated exclusively to processing Disability Benefit claims from female applicants. This team will develop expertise to ensure we can systematically address the current barriers to timely decisions for female Veterans and continue to close the gap in processing times between female and male applicants.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• We have several programs to help CAF Veterans find jobs and provide other career-related services and information.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Our pan-governmental work towards ending homelessness among Veterans supports the UN goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

SDG 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

• BPA specializes in administrative law, particularly various legislations that apply to the Veteran community. The Bureau’s mandate is to represent Veterans, for free, before the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in support of Veterans receiving entitlement to disability benefits. This contributes to promoting the rule of law and providing access to justice for all.

Experimentation

• We plan to measure and validate the effectiveness of an innovative solution to enable health professionals to submit electronic documentation to us in support of disability claims. Understanding that the current manual practices result in delays to obtain information, we will explore opportunities to measure the effectiveness of a new solution (i.e., Audiologists submitting audiograms and their invoices electronically) in order to support senior management in making the decision to proceed with implementation. [MLC: reduce wait times]

Planned results for CR1: Benefits, Services and Support^{Footnote 1}

The following table shows, for Benefits, Services and Support, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets, and the target dates for 2022-23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Future spending and staffing levels are under ongoing review. A full analysis of the planned budgetary financial resources and full-time equivalents is available in the “Spending and human resources” section of this report.

Complete framework methodologies, as well as financial, human resources and performance information for the Program Inventory (PI) are available in GC InfoBase.

CR2: Commemoration

Description: Pay tribute to the sacrifices and achievements of those who served in Canada’s military efforts.

Planning Highlights

We will continue to support the Government of Canada’s duty to pay tribute to the contribution and sacrifice of all who have served and continue to serve Canada in times of war, military conflict, and peace.

Departmental Result: Veterans and those who died in service are honoured.

To contribute to this departmental result in 2022-23, we will:

• honour the memory of Veterans by completing the five-year effort to address a national backlog of over 57,000 Veteran grave markers needing repairs. In 2022-23, we will complete any outstanding repairs.
• continue to work closely with Canadian Heritage and the National Capital Commission on the creation of the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan.
• support efforts in Canada and abroad to mark:
  • the 30^th anniversary of the first large-scale Canadian participation in the United Nations Protection Force in the Balkans;
  • National Peacekeepers’ Day;
  • the 80^th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid;
  • the 105^th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and;
  • the dedication of the final Caribou Monument in Gallipoli, Turkey.
• safeguard important cultural resources for future generations using responsible conservation management practices and environmental stewardship as we:
  • continue our work on a forest management plan for our National Historic Sites;
  • develop a comprehensive visitor experience strategy; and,
  • continue to explore new methods and partnerships to bring the experience of visiting these important sites to Canadians through virtual tours and digital platforms.
• complete an evaluation of the Canada Remembers Program to assess the extent to which the Program is meeting the needs of Veterans and Canadians, and the extent to which the Program is achieving its outcomes in an effective and efficient manner.
• implement recommendations stemming from the 2021-22 Evaluation of the Funeral and Burial and Cemetery and Grave Marker Maintenance Programs.

Departmental Result: Canadians remember and appreciate Veterans and those who died in service.

To contribute to this departmental result in 2022-23, we will:

[MLC: recognition and commemoration for underrepresented groups]

• Implement our 10-year Strategic Plan for Commemoration, which sets a clear vision and objectives for us to continue to be a leader in the field of military commemoration.
• To ensure that all Veterans—including modern Veterans, women, Indigenous, racialized and LGBTQ2 Veterans—from all conflicts are recognized and commemorated, we will:
  • launch an inclusive, geographically themed “Canadian Armed Forces Around the World” approach to commemoration and recognition. In 2022, events and programming will highlight Canadian service in Europe across our military history, from major conflicts of the 20^th century to modern day. We will also we recognize the valuable contributions of CAF Veterans who have served our country in domestic operations such as wildfires, ice storms and floods. This theme will influence all our outreach activities, including events, learning resources and digital strategies;
  • begin development of an Indigenous Consultation and Action Plan to ensure commemorative programming honours the contributions and accomplishments of Indigenous Canadians who served; and
  • ensure our programming, ceremonies and events, content and learning resources reflect the diversity of our Veteran, and broader Canadian populations.
• Use new technologies and virtual engagement opportunities to inspire and support Canadian commemoration. As part of these continuing modernization efforts, we will:
  • develop and user test virtual presentations and tours to bring the experience and messages of our overseas memorials back to Canadians;
  • make our Community Partnership funding program more accessible by digitizing the application process;
  • work on a new, web-based Learning Hub to better support educators and students by making learning plans and products easier to find and use; and
  • leverage digital commemorative content in a way that engages and resonates with a variety of Canadian audiences, including educators, youth, Indigenous communities, and new Canadians as well as Veterans of more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions and those from underrepresented communities, including women, Indigenous, racialized and LGBTQ2 Veterans. [MLC: recognition and commemoration for underrepresented groups]
• Continue to partner with or provide grants and contributions to groups across Canada that are leading innovative commemorative initiatives honouring those who served.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)

• Commemoration Division will continue to apply a GBA Plus lens to planning and delivery of our initiatives, including consultations, product development and delivery of events, initiatives, and publications. Our ceremonies and events will reflect the diversity of our Veteran, and broader Canadian populations. Our activities, publications, website, social media and learning resources will demonstrate gender balance as well as diverse cultural, ethnic, and regional backgrounds. We will also apply GBA Plus when consulting with Canadians and Veterans to understand how their perspectives and preferences may align with numerous identity factors. [MLC: recognition and commemoration for underrepresented groups]

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Our goal is for this Core responsibility to contribute to the following UN sustainable development goals:

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

• By recognizing Veterans through commemorative initiatives which support overall well-being, especially mentally and socially.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• By implementing sustainable management practices to restore degraded forests and protect biodiversity at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial.

Future spending and staffing levels are under ongoing review. A full analysis of the planned budgetary financial resources and full-time equivalents is available in the “Spending and human resources” section of this report.

Complete framework methodologies, as well as financial, human resources and performance information for the PI are available in GC InfoBase.

CR3: Veterans Ombudsperson^{Footnote 11}

Description: Provide an independent and impartial review of complaints and issues related to programs and services delivered by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio and uphold the Veterans Bill of Rights.

Planning Highlights

Under this core responsibility, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsperson (OVO) will continue to look into issues and complaints related to programs and services to determine whether Veterans and their families are treated fairly.

Departmental result: Veterans and their families have access to a timely review of complaints about the programs, services and support delivered by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio.

The Office of the Veterans Ombudsperson intends to address complaints in a timely manner by reviewing client files and intervening where appropriate with the Veterans Affairs Portfolio to obtain resolution.

In 2022-23, the following activities will contribute to this departmental result:

• Reviewing and addressing individual complaints related to programs and services provided by VAC or by third parties on VAC’s behalf, including decisions related to programs and services for which there is no right of appeal to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board.
• Improving general awareness of OVO services through planned communication activities such as social media campaigns, advertising and events.

Departmental result: Issues about the programs, services and support provided to Veterans and their families by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio are identified.

The Office of the Veterans Ombudsperson addresses complaints of fairness from individual Veterans and their families. This includes assessing if such complaints are valid (based on treatment, process and/or outcome) and are within the mandate of the Office. Complaints with recommendations are then submitted to the Veterans Affairs Portfolio for resolution.

In 2022-23, we commit to continue:

• Conducting systemic investigations, research and analysis, and making recommendations to address issues of fairness for Veterans and their families with a focus on:
  • identifying gaps in the benefits and services provided by VAC to improve the health and well-being of Veterans and their families; and
  • identifying unfairness, inefficiency and excessive complexity in how VAC administers its programs and services.
• Explaining OVO’s recommendations through outreach and engagement activities with key stakeholders and Parliamentarians.
• Monitoring the response of Veterans Affairs Canada to individual complaints investigated by the OVO that identify an element of unfairness.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)

• As part of the government-wide priorities of gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness, the OVO will continue to advocate for fairness for Canada’s diverse Veteran population, including Women, Francophone, and Indigenous Veterans, as well as other groups.
• The OVO is planning to expand its data analytics collection and is currently identifying and developing new analytics to better report on GBA Plus data.

Future spending and staffing levels are under ongoing review. A full analysis of the planned budgetary financial resources and full-time equivalents is available in the “Spending and human resources” section of this report.

Complete framework methodologies, as well as financial, human resources and performance information for the PI are available in GC InfoBase.

Internal Services: planned results and resources

Our internal services

Description: Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• Management and Oversight Services
• Communications Services
• Legal Services
• Human Resources Management Services
• Financial Management Services
• Information Management Services
• Information Technology Services
• Real Property Management Services
• Materiel Management Services
• Acquisition Management Services

Planning highlights

Our internal services contribute core business functions that support the outcomes identified in the Departmental Results Framework. Planning objectives have been aligned to support program delivery and evolving how we do business to ensure we can continue to provide the programs and services Veterans need and expect in the future.

Internal services contribute to all departmental results.

We will continue to optimize delivery of core services and pursue continual improvement of our corporate services. Planned initiatives include:

• Continuing the implementation of our Information and Data Strategy to maximize the impact of VAC’s enterprise information and data assets.
• Using research, data and business intelligence to strengthen analysis and reporting, support decision making and support strategic management of resources.
• Continued integration of new financial management application – SAP – supported by changes to processes and procedures.
• Digitization of processes based on legacy forms to better support clients and achieve greater efficiency.
• Building upon lessons learned during the pandemic to improve our Business Continuity Program.
• Improving our overall security position, including initiatives aimed at increasing personnel security, as well as physical security in Area Offices.
• Improving and strengthening our information management through a number of measures, including a departmental Open Government action plan.
• Enhancing Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Services through introduction of systems aimed at streamlining the processing of ATIP requests and needs assessments.
• Continuing response to the Pandemic and support development and implementation of future workplace models.
• Continuing to improve our integrated approach to service delivery through close collaboration with internal and external partners.

We will maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace, that empowers and develops employees with a goal of recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent. We will continue to do this in a non-traditional setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To support this, we will:

• Solicit input to identify talent needs and strategies that focus on attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce with the experience and skills required to meet the changing work environment.
• Develop a new Employment Equity and Diversity Action Plan that is responsive to the Clerk of the Privy Council’s “Call to Action”.
• Encourage a work culture that increases awareness and uses best practices to promote mental health, safety, and well-being for all employees.
• Ensure implementation of the Accessible Canada Act through the development of an integrated departmental action plan.
• Increase digital literacy through design and implementation of a departmental Digital Literacy Program.
• Enhance onboarding practices as well as develop and update an integrated learning strategy aimed at aligning corporate learning priorities with employee investment for all levels of the Department.

We will continue to pursue modernization objectives. Planned initiatives supporting this objective include:

• Improving our Information Technology (IT) infrastructure through digitization, cloud adoption and modernization of key applications and network infrastructure to increase effectiveness and support program delivery.
• Continuing modernization of Daniel J. MacDonald facility in Charlottetown.
• Providing flexible, digitally enabled tools to support flexible work arrangements and modernization of core business processes.
• Leading change management initiatives in support of our vision for a hybrid work model—a combination of remote and in-office work.

We will continue to roll out our communications outreach and engagement strategy, adjusting as we go based on evidence and research. We will focus on:

• expanding the use of podcasting and other digital communications tools to share and commemorate Veterans’ stories, building on the success of our 2020 Faces of Freedom series;
• engaging the Veteran community through our Let’s Talk Veterans consultation platform and other methods to reach a larger audience for inclusive, collaborative, and transparent discussions on Veteran issues;
• understanding digital analytics, the media environment and stakeholder analysis to inform decision-making on internal and external communications approaches.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)

• GBA Plus will continue to be applied to the development and implementation of new and existing applications and the data they collect and use. Additionally, GBA Plus considerations will be accounted for as we pursue updates to existing data processing systems, client forms, and client letters to ensure we maintain data collection and management approaches that align with GBA Plus principles. This will support program management and delivery by ensuring GBA Plus information and data needs are met.
• We will implement communications plans related to GBA Plus, diversity and inclusion, to raise employee awareness and understanding of these issues.
• We will increase representation of underrepresented Veteran groups on the Ministerial Advisory Groups and in communications products, increasing the presence of modern-day conflicts in commemorative content and focusing on the diversity of our clients.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Our Internal Services are aligned to the UN’s 17 SDGs across a broad spectrum of activities, ranging from infrastructure management to procurement. As part of this strategy, we have implemented a number of measures in support of these specific Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 5: Gender equality
• SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
• SDG 13: Climate action

For details on our efforts, please refer to our 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

• We will use experimentation to advance understanding and use of automation in application development and deployment through use of infrastructure as code and automated deployment. These efforts will include measurement of areas such as efficiency and success rates to inform further expansion or iteration. For example, the Service Health Records search tool is being developed in a cloud-based environment and using container based technology. We will attempt to use the DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) metrics to measure the effectiveness of the processes. These metrics include Change Lead Time, Deployment Frequency, Change Failure Rate, and Mean Time to Recovery. [MLC: reduce wait times]

Future spending and staffing levels are under ongoing review. A full analysis of the planned budgetary financial resources and full-time equivalents is available in the “Spending and human resources” section of this report.