Other Allowances (VAC PPU 604)

Description: This bank describes information that is used in support of determining eligibility, entitlement, and assessment for various allowances and compensation under the Pension Act or the Veterans Well-being Act. The information is about eligible Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans, eligible Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members and former members, and eligible civilians who applied for and/or received an allowance/compensation decision. The compensation and allowances falling under this Personal Information Bank include Attendance Allowance, Clothing Allowance, and Prisoner of War Compensation (POW) under the Pension Act, as well as the Clothing Allowance and Detention Benefit awarded under the Veterans Well-being Act. Other compensation included in this PIB are Gallantry Awards, Flying Accidents Compensation, Halifax Relief Commission. 

For CAF members and Veterans, and RCMP members and former members, the personal information may include identifying numbers, name, contact information, date of birth, service information, marital status, family information, health information, financial information, and signature. Other required personal information may include whether the applicant is a VAC employee, information required for identity validation, and information regarding a representative. In the case where the member, Veteran, or former member had an Attendance Allowance application pending at the time of death, or in the case of POW, a survivor/dependant continues the application or makes a post-humous application, a date of death and supporting documentation must be provided.

In the case of the Detention Benefit specifically, their testamentary estate or testamentary succession must provide a death certificate, last will and testament, letter of probate, and/or information demonstrating the appointment of an executor.

Note: Revised in 2019. Information may be stored in VAC's physical and electronic systems including: Client Service Delivery Network (CSDN) and/or GCCase, which may include client initiated actions and responses made through My VAC Account, and/or, VAC staff/contracted resource initiated actions and responses made through Benefit and Health Services On-line (BHSOL). Some documents received in Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), from the Department of National Defence (DND) may reference the Social Insurance Number (SIN) as DND personnel were required to use the SIN as their personal identification number between 1960 and 1990.

Class of Individuals: War Veterans, Allied Veterans, Merchant Navy Veterans, members and Veterans of the CAF, members and former members of the RCMP, eligible civilians, survivors, dependent children or orphans, and/or representatives. Also included are Public Service employees and other employees who meet the criteria under the Flying Accidents Compensation Regulations, individuals who qualified for a pension, a grant or an allowance in respect of death or injury sustained in the explosion at Halifax in 1917, and members of the Armed Forces of Canada as defined in the Gallantry Awards Order.

Note: With the coming into force of the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act on April 1, 2006, now known as the Veterans Well-being Act (VWA), the Pension Act was amended and limited to individuals with service in the CAF prior to April 2, 1947 or service in the Korean War. For CAF members and Veterans who received a decision under the Pension Act prior to April 1, 2006, the Pension Act continues to be applicable in limited circumstances in respect of all service in the CAF as outlined in section 3.1 of the Pension Act and section 56 of the VWA.

Purpose: The personal information is used to administer programs, determine eligibility (entitlement and assessment), and disburse funds for various allowances and compensation. The information is collected pursuant to Part III, subsections 38(1) and (2) (Attendance Allowance), 38(4) to (8) (Clothing Allowance), Part III.1, sections 71.1 to 71.5 (Prisoner of War Compensation), and sections 82, 84, 109, 109.1, and 109.2 of the Pension Act and associated Award Regulations.

For RCMP members and former members, benefits are provided under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, and personal information is collected pursuant to Part II, sections 31.1 to 34 of that Act, or the section 5 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Continuation Act.

For the Clothing Allowance and Detention Benefit provided under the Veterans Well-being Act, personal information is collected pursuant to Part III, sections 60 to 62 (Clothing Allowance), sections 64 and 65 (Detention Benefit), and sections 78.1, 78.2, 79 to 81, 84, and 85 of that Act.

Personal information is also collected pursuant to the Civilian War-Related Benefits Act, Flying Accidents Compensation Regulations, Gallantry Awards Order, and Halifax Relief Commission Pension Continuation Act.

Consistent Uses: Information may be used and disclosed for planning, research, development, evaluation and/or reporting of programs, policies and services. The use and disclosure is limited to VAC areas that are involved in the identified program, service and policy, and may also be shared with senior management.

Personal information may be shared with other VAC programs, including programs covered by the application waiver provision under sections 80.1 of the Pension Act and/or 78.1 of the Veterans Well-being Act, for the purpose of determining eligibility for additional benefits, assessments, case management, mental health initiatives, and/or commemorative activities, where applicable.

Name, identifying numbers, service information, health information and any relevant information in support of the claim, may be shared with the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB) in support of the Reviews and Appeals process (VRAB - Reviews and Appeals - VRAB PPU 080 and Bureau of Pension Advocates VAC PPU 365).

Personal information may be shared with the Department of National Defence (DND) to obtain health and service records in support of program administration. Refer to DND Personal Information Banks – Medical Records (DND PPE 810), Canadian Forces Casualty Database (DND PPE 817), Administrative Review Case Files (DND PPE 814), Canadian Forces Member Personal Information File (DND PPE 818), Human Resources Management Information System (HRMS) (DND PPE 805), Unit Military Personnel Bank (DND PPE 836), and Personnel Files – Training (DND PPE 842). 

In accordance with an established Memorandum of Understanding, personal information obtained by VAC may be shared with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to obtain Service Records and/or Service Health Records from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and/or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

In accordance with an established Memorandum of Understanding, personal information may be shared with Library and Archives Canada (LAC) to obtain Service Records and/or Service Health Records. Refer to LAC Personal Information Banks – Army Reserve Force Pay Sheets (LAC PPU 715), Collective Medical Records (LAC PPU 017), Dental Records (LAC PPU 721), Medical Records (LAC PPU 018), Microfiche Personal File (LAC PPU 023), Military Personnel Bank (LAC PPU 024), and Performance Evaluation Records (LAC PPU 028).

Name, contact information, client identifier, entitlement amounts and direct deposit instructions may be shared with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) for the purposes of issuing payments (refer to Receiver General Payments - PWGSC PPU 712).

Personal information may be obtained by PSPC in accordance with an established Memorandum of Agreement for the purpose of creating a digital image of the record for use by VAC (refer to PSPC institution specific personal information bank, PWGSC PCU 709 - Document Imaging Solutions). Public Services and Procurement Canada will not use the personal information for the purposes of making administrative decisions. 

Personal information such as name, contact information, service information, health and financial information may be shared with an authorized and approved third party, in accordance with an established Service Level Agreement for the purpose of printing and mailing services. The approved third party will not use the personal information for the purposes of making administrative decisions.

Veterans Affairs Canada has contracted an authorized and approved third party, located in Canada, to provide transportation, storage, maintenance retrieval, delivery, and destruction services of VAC records, where applicable.

Retention and Disposal Standards: Regardless of the format, as part of the client record, the retention period is 7 years after the date of death of the applicant. If the date is not known, the retention period is 110 years after the date of birth provided there are no known dependents, no outstanding claims against the crown, no actions involving the estate, no indication on file of the legal status of a dependent, and no activity of any kind.