Question Period Note: BUDGET 2017

• Budget 2017 is a comprehensive package that will assist Veterans as they transition from military to post-military life, including substantially improving support for caregivers.
• This budget will build on the momentum from Budget 2016 and continue to move the marker forward for Veterans and their families.
• Budget 2017 focuses on the overall well-being of Veterans and their families by investing in mental health supports, education opportunities and career transition services.
• This Budget builds on the historic investments we made in Budget 2016, which improved financial security for many, many Veterans.
• We are very proud of this Budget and are confident that it will lead to better outcomes for Veterans and their families.
• Our government is investing in the well-being of Veterans and their families.

BACKGROUND – BUDGET 2017

Key Announcements

Budget 2017 proposes measures to:
• Help Veterans transition from military service to civilian life.
• Better support the families of ill and injured Veterans, including caregivers.
• Invest in mental health services and care for Veterans at risk.

Budget 2017 proposes eight (8) measures for Veterans and their families. These changes, totaling $624 million over 6 years, reaffirm the Government’s ongoing commitment to Veterans and will help ensure that programming continues to meet the increasingly complex and diverse needs of Canada’s Veterans and their families in the following specific ways:

Education and Training Benefit - $133.9M over 6 years
Budget 2017 proposes to amend legislation to create a new Education and Training Benefit. This benefit would provide more money for veterans to go to college, university or a technical school after they complete their service, equaling an investment of $133.9 million over six years, starting in 2016–17, and $10.3 million per year ongoing.

The new program would begin in April 2018 for veterans honourably released on or after April 1, 2006. Veterans with 6 years of eligible service would be entitled to up to $40,000 of benefits, while veterans with 12 years of eligible service would be entitled to up to $80,000 of benefits.

Redesigned Career Transition Services - $74.1M over 6 years

Budget 2017 proposes to amend legislation to enhance the Career Transition Services Program. This measure would equip veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, survivors, and veterans’ spouses and common-law partners with the tools they need to successfully navigate and transition to the civilian workforce.

The services offered would be expanded to include coaching and job placement assistance, all of which would be provided through a national contractor starting in April 2018. The investment would total $74.1 million over six years, starting in 2016–17, and $4.5 million per year ongoing.

Eliminating Vocational Rehabilitation Time Limits for Veterans’ Survivors and Spouses - $23.8M over 6 years

Budget 2017 proposes to invest $23.8 million over six years, starting in 2016–17, and $2.1 million per year ongoing, to eliminate the one-year time limit for eligible spouses and survivors as of April 1, 2018 so that they are able to apply to the Rehabilitation and Vocational Assistance Program whenever they are prepared to return to work.

Veterans Family Program – Expand access to the Military Family Resource Centres post-release (and Veterans Outreach Strategy) - $169.4M over 6 years (including funding for outreach strategy).

Budget 2017 proposes to invest $147.0 million over six years, starting in 2016–17, and $15.0 million per year ongoing, to launch the Veterans Family Program, which provides expanded access to the Military Family Resource Centres for the families of veterans who have been medically released. This would increase the availability of the Military Family Resource Centres for medically released veterans from seven locations under the current pilot to all 32 locations across the country.

Budget 2017 proposes to invest $22.4 million over three years, starting in 2017–18, in an outreach strategy to ensure they are informed of the range of supports available to them.

Caregiver Recognition Benefit - $187.3M over 6 years

Budget 2017 proposes to amend legislation and invest $187.3 million over six years, starting in 2016–17, and $9.5 million per year ongoing, to create the Caregiver Recognition Benefit for modern-day veterans. This benefit would replace the existing Family Caregiver Relief Benefit and would provide a more generous non-taxable $1,000 monthly benefit payable directly to caregivers to better recognize and honour the vital role they play.

Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund - $13.9M over 4 years

Building on this, the Government proposes to establish a Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund that would support the creation of innovative services and support specifically tailored to improving the quality of life for our veterans.

Budget 2017 proposes to invest $13.9 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $3.5 million per year ongoing, to Veterans Affairs Canada to foster innovation across the public, private and academic fields.

Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Related Mental Health Conditions - $17.5M over 4 years

Budget 2017 proposes to create a Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related mental health conditions. The Centre would have a strong focus on the creation and dissemination of knowledge on prevention, assessment and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and related mental health conditions for veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members. Budget 2017 proposes to invest $17.5 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $9.2 million per year ongoing, to ensure the Centre has the tools it needs to make a difference in the lives of our veterans.

Veteran Emergency Fund - $4M over 4 years

Budget 2017 proposes to invest $4 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $1.0 million per year ongoing, to help Veterans Affairs Canada address the urgent situations faced by Canada’s veterans and their families.

Notes:

Veterans’ benefits are considered a post-employment benefit. Therefore, accrual profiles are used in Budget documents.

Implementation costs are included.

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