Results: what we achieved

Program 1.1: Disability and Death Compensation

Description

This program recognizes and compensates eligible Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, and other eligible individuals for the effects of service-related disabilities, death, and detention. In the case of the Disability Pension, benefits and allowances are provided in the form of monthly payments; for Disability Awards, Critical Injury and Death Benefits, compensation is provided in the form of a monetary award paid as a lump sum, an annual payment, or a combination of both. This program is delivered through operating funds and grants.

Results

• The Department continued moving forward on the Minister’s mandate letter commitments, including:
  • Increased the Disability Award and Death Benefit maximum lump sum payment to $360,000 and ensuring all those who received these benefits since April 2006 also received the increase through one-time, tax free lump sum payments.
  • Advancing work on the Government’s commitment to offer lifelong pensions as an option for injured Veterans. In Budget 2017, Government indicated that details about the lifelong pension would be announced in the fall of 2017.
• A review of how the Department delivers service was conducted in fiscal year 2016–17. It showed that VAC needed a more holistic and comprehensive approach to Veteran well-being in our pursuit of service excellence. The results of this review have led to priority work for the Department which is highlighted throughout the results sections of this report.
• VAC continues to move toward fulfilling the Government’s commitment to provide e-enabled services across all programs. A flagstone for VAC is My VAC Account which:
  • provides access to electronic forms representing 70% of VAC business;
  • helps reduce turnaround time for Veterans;
  • provides electronic payment documentation more quickly than via traditional mail; and
  • enables Veterans to update banking and address information online.
• My VAC Account experienced significant growth in this year:
  • active registered My VAC Account users grew 58% to 50,671;
  • receipt of electronic disability benefit applications increased 19%;
  • receipt of electronic Health Related Travel forms increased 38%; and
  • 93,109 letters were sent via My VAC Account.
• Active consultations with stakeholder communities have helped VAC to better understand the challenges facing Veterans and their families throughout their lives and have informed how best to offer programs and services that meet these needs. Two stakeholder summits were held in May and October, along with 20 roundtables and nearly 40 advisory group meetings to obtain stakeholder input, feedback and perspective on issues of importance, including the effectiveness and enhancements to My VAC Account. The advisory groups include: Commemoration Advisory Group, Care and Support Advisory Group, Mental Health Advisory Group, Policy Advisory Group, Service Excellence Advisory Group and Advisory Group on Families.

Lessons learned

• New programs and benefits to address modern needs are proving popular – over the past two years, the Department saw a 32% increase in the number of claims received for adjudication and, while the Department hired additional staff to address a backlog of applications, these resources were not enough to overcome the higher than planned uptake in applications. As a result of this significant increase in uptake VAC experienced a significant increase in the volume of completed applications between 2014–15 and 2016–17, resulting in a larger pool of Veterans with appeal rights.
• Public opinion research and user testing for My VAC Account is very important as it enables VAC to prioritize items of greatest importance to those we serve and to fix problems before services are made available to the public.
• The importance of engaging with, and providing timely information to, front line staff as research indicates that these staff were the primary source of information on My VAC Account for Veterans and their families.
• New service delivery channels do not necessarily, or immediately, result in reduced traffic through traditional channels. However secure electronic messaging has been growing rapidly, with approximately 107,000 messages received/sent through My VAC Account in 2016–17, of which 54,000 messages were sent by Veterans and 53,000 messages were sent by VAC staff. This is a significant increase over 2015–16 where the total was approximately 51,000 total messages (26,000 from Veterans and 25,000 from staff).

Program 1.2: Financial Support Program

Description

This program provides income support to eligible Veterans and their survivors, to ensure that recipients have income that is adequate to meeting their basic needs. This program also provides income replacement or support to eligible CAF Veterans, survivors, and orphans for the economic impact that a military career-ending and/or service-connected injury, illness or death can have on a Veteran’s ability to earn income or save for retirement. Benefits are provided in the form of lump sum or monthly income replacement or support payments, after military release. This program is delivered through operating funds and grants.

Results

• The Department continued moving forward on the Minister’s mandate letter commitments, including:
  • In October 2016, increased the Earnings Loss Benefit from 75% to 90% of a Veteran’s gross, pre-release salary to ensure Veterans have sufficient post-release income.
• The Department continues to improve performance reporting for the Financial Benefits Program. In 2016–17, a VAC National Survey was conducted which included questions on financial well-being. This will enable better monitoring of program performance, including activities and outcomes, inform departmental decisions and support program evaluation.
• Consulted with stakeholders at two stakeholder summits and with advisory groups, to help ensure stakeholder input was considered during the development of policy and program changes and enhancements.
• Work is advancing on the Budget 2017 commitment to simplify the financial supports that are available to disabled Veterans to better meet their needs. As such, Government is continuing to work with the Veterans’ community and the CAF to examine the best way to streamline the system of financial supports programs currently offered to Veterans.

Program 1.3: Health Care Program and Re-establishment Services

Description

This program is designed to improve or maintain the physical, mental and social well-being of eligible Veterans, Reserve Force personnel, civilians, and their survivors and dependants and other individuals, promote independence, and help them to remain at home and in their own communities by providing a continuum of care. The program provides funding for rehabilitation services, career-transition support, health benefits, family caregiver relief benefits, home care and long-term care. This program is delivered through operating funds, grants, and contributions.

Results

The Department continued moving forward on the Minister’s mandate letter commitments, including:

• Reopening nine VAC offices across the country and opening a new office in Surrey, BC^{Footnote 3}.
• Establishing a VAC/CAF working group to develop a Joint CAF/VAC Suicide Prevention Strategy.
• Supporting Veterans and their families as they deal with not only physical health concerns but also mental health concerns is a priority for the Department. As such, the Department:
  • Is exploring options for the Centre of Excellence on PTSD and related mental health conditions – a mandate letter commitment.
  • Developed a Veteran-specific Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) session, now being delivered across the country. As of March 31, 2017, a total of 387 participants (including Veterans, caregivers, family members and service providers) attended 22 Veteran-specific MHFA training sessions. An additional 35 Veteran-specific MHFA sessions are confirmed for 2017.
• Announced this year through Budget 2017, the Government of Canada is fulfilling its commitment to deliver a new Education and Training Benefit to Veterans (expected implementation date of April 1, 2018) that will provide funding for college, university or technical education to all Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force and Reserve Force Veterans with at least six years of military service.
• From a Gender Based Analysis perspective, this new benefit has the potential to help women and Indigenous Peoples by providing access to higher education and may have a positive impact on these populations. It is anticipated that access to this benefit could supplement the positive impact other programs have for improving post-secondary and income levels among the Indigenous population.
• The Department is working to support Veterans in crisis and their families through:
  • developing a Veteran Homelessness Strategy and Veterans in Crisis Action Plan in consultation with Government partners and informed by engagement with non-government partners and stakeholders;
  • a number of initiatives designed to increase awareness of, and support to, Veterans in Crisis, including:
    • the Veteran Justice Outreach initiative pilot project in Nova Scotia, an extension of the Veterans in Crisis Outreach contract with VETS Canada until March 2018;
    • development and dissemination of an educational video through the VAC website, the video has been used primarily by police forces; and
    • a new information poster on homeless Veterans which is displayed across the country in area such as VAC offices, libraries, and police stations.
• The VAC Research Directorate conducted a number of studies to better understand how Veterans transition from military to civilian life, and to ultimately help to inform policy and program decisions, including:
  • 2016 Life After Service Studies;
  • Veteran Suicide Mortality Study;
  • Road to Civilian Life, Well-Being of Families of Veterans with Mental Health Problems; and
  • A Microsimluation Study with Statistics Canada.

Program 2.1: Canada Remembers Program

Description

Canadian Veterans and those who died in service have made valuable contributions to the development of Canada. This program ensures that Veterans and those who died in service are honoured and that the memory of their sacrifices and achievements is preserved. Canada Remembers Program activities promote the following outcomes: Canadians are knowledgeable about the efforts of Veterans and those who died in service to Canada; Canadian military milestones and the Veterans who participated in them are publicly recognized; communities and other groups lead remembrance activities; symbols erected to honour Veterans and those who served are maintained in perpetuity on behalf of Canadians; and financial assistance is provided to the estates of eligible Veterans for a dignified funeral and burial. Encouraging pride in shared military history, celebrating the contributions and acknowledging the sacrifices of those who served, and preserving symbols to mark their courage all contribute to the Government of Canada’s outcome of a vibrant Canadian culture and heritage. This program is delivered through operating funds, grants, and contributions.

Results

• Implemented Federal Budget and mandate letter commitments related to the Canada Remembers Program. Notably:
  • the survivor’s estate exemption amount under the Funeral and Burial Program was increased to ensure more Veterans receive a dignified funeral and burial; and
  • the scope of the Commemorative Partnership Program was expanded to allow funding for the building of new community war memorials.
• Led commemorative events to mark key military milestones such as the centennial of the Battles of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel.
• Continued to advance work on the National Memorial to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan (Ottawa) and the permanent Visitor Education Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. Began cemetery expansion at Veterans Cemetery (God’s Acre) in Esquimalt, British Columbia.
• Created and distributed learning resources aimed at promoting an understanding and appreciation of Canada’s military and organized workshops, activities and events for students attending the Canada Remembers theme week at Encounters with Canada in Ottawa.
• Used performance data and evaluations to assess the achievement of expected outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement. Overall, the results show that remembrance programming remains effective and the majority of Canadians surveyed indicate satisfaction with the Department’s commemorative initiatives.

Program 3.1: Veterans Ombudsman

Description

This program provides an independent and impartial opportunity to review complaints submitted by Veterans and other individuals (war-service Veterans, Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces [Regular and Reserve], members and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, spouses, common-law partners, survivors and primary caregivers, other eligible dependants and family members, other eligible individuals and representatives of the aforementioned groups). It promotes fair and equitable treatment in accessing the services, benefits, and programs from Veterans Affairs Canada. This is accomplished by: providing them with information and referrals to facilitate their access to programs and services; reviewing and addressing complaints arising from the Veterans Bill of Rights and decisions on benefits and services for which there is no right to appeal to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; reviewing systemic issues related to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; and identifying and reviewing emerging and systemic issues related to the provisions of the Department’s programs and services and providing information and recommendations to the Minister in relation to those issues. This program is delivered through operating funds.

Results

• Provided direct assistance by ensuring complaints and information requests were addressed in a timely manner.
  • 1,595 new files were added to 359 from the previous year totaling 1,954 files. Of these 1,812 (93%) files were addressed and closed during 2016–17.
  • The number of files carried over from year to year has been reduced from 359 to 142 files. Review of the frontline business processes using a LEAN methodology has helped reduce the time to complete files.
• The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) reviewed issues of importance to Veterans and made recommendations on systemic issues related to the Portfolio through the publication of reviews and reports (Supporting Ill and Injured RCMP Members and their Families: A Review, Fair Compensation to Veterans and their Survivors for Pain and Suffering, Joint Transition Project – Closing the Seam, Improving the New Veterans Charter: The Actuarial Analysis Follow-up Report and the Aon Hewitt: Risk Assessment – Benchmark of Benefits for Disabled Veterans Under the New Veterans Charter) and 18 blogs. Prior to Budget 2017 the OVO published a status update on all recommendations made by the OVO and the status of progress made by VAC.
• The OVO continued looking at emerging issues and the ensuing recommendations had a direct result in the Department making improvements in services provided to Veterans. Examples include:
  • VAC will now accept Nurse Practitioners’ diagnoses for entitlement purposes of a Disability Benefit claim when co-signed by a physician.
  • VAC Foreign Country Operations has implemented process changes for the handling of Health Related Travel Claims.
• Engaged Veterans, their families and other stakeholders through outreach, laying the groundwork for discussions on non-economic compensation and other priorities, while expanding outreach via a digital-first communications strategy using social media posts, news releases, media interviews and infographics.
• Six stakeholder meetings were held across the country, getting the insight of regional Veterans support groups and understanding the key concerns in their communities. This was coupled with four Town Halls open to Veterans, their families and representatives in order to understand individual concerns.
• The OVO partnered with other Ombudsmen and other governmental organizations in 2016–17 to take an across-government approach to reviewing horizontal issues of concern to Veterans. The joint project with the DND/CAF Ombudsman was concluded, and as a summary, an infographic with key findings and recommendations was published. It also identified the “Top 3 Things To Do Now” and key actions needed to close the seam. Both Ombudsmen will continue to work together to monitor and push for change in areas that fall within respective mandates.

Veterans Affairs Canada’s Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

Results

• The Department moved forward a wide range of activities in support of Workplace Mental Wellness, and the National Unit for Workplace Mental Wellness worked on many initiatives and events to engage and support employees. These efforts contributed to an 85% awareness rate of departmental initiatives in mental health, in a 2016 Employee Pulse Survey.
• A VAC Managers’ Network was created to enhance communications with managers on key issues and priorities. Managers have regularly scheduled staff and individual meetings and there is an increased focus on training.
• VAC established a Veterans in the Public Service Unit (VPSU) to enable the effective and seamless transition of Veterans into Government of Canada careers. The VPSU will educate CAF members and Veterans on the Veterans Hiring Act (VHA), while working in partnership with other Government of Canada organizations to improve the recruitment, hiring and talent management processes for Veterans.
• An external review of VAC Human Resources (HR) services was completed which pointed to the need to modernize the Division’s structure and service approach. Based on the review’s recommendations, a decision was made to design and implement a new model of service, restructuring the HR Division to support the model and focusing initially on staffing, labour relations and classification services.
• The Department continued to actively promote employment equity and diversity and official languages throughout the Department through interdepartmental committee work, promotional activities and communications to all staff.
• VAC continues to invest in innovation as a result of its review of the service delivery model, investing in tools and capabilities in the cognitive computing and conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) space.
• As committed in 2016–17, VAC completed its implementation of GCDOCS – the corporate approach to information management.

Lessons learned

• While VAC is a leader in the use of GCDOCS, further communication with employees about GCDOCS and its benefits is needed, especially around the transformational nature of the new approach to managing corporate information.

Information on the Veterans Affairs Canada’s lower-level programs is available on VAC’s website and in the TBS InfoBase.