Question Period Note: BUDGET 2021

• Budget 2021 continues to reflect our responsibility to ensure all Veterans and their families receive the support and services they need, when they need it.

• This budget builds on the historic investments we made in previous Budgets which improved financial security and other supports and services for Veterans and their families.

• In total, the Government of Canada has invested over $10.5 billion in Veterans’ initiatives since 2016.

• This Budget proposes funding of $184 million for Veterans Affairs to support Veterans and their families.

BACKGROUND – BUDGET 2021
A Recover Plan for Jobs, Growth and Resilience and Resilience
Supporting Our Veterans (Page 236)
Mental Health Care Costs – redacted
• New funding announced of $140 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, and $6 million ongoing, to cover the mental health care costs of Veterans while their disability benefit application is being processed.
• Veterans are entitled to financial support for health care through the Treatment Benefit program but they can wait for up to two years for their disability benefit application to be confirmed.
• Upon implementation, this will allow a Veteran to access critical mental health care supports immediately.

Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund – redacted
• New funding announced of $15 million over three years, starting in 2021-22 to expand and enhance the program to fund projects that will support Veterans during the post COVID-19 recovery including addressing homelessness, employment, retraining and health challenges.

Extend Disability Adjudication Resources and develop more efficient decision making processes using digital technologies. – redacted

• Total funding of $28.6M over two years, starting in 2021-22 to extend disability adjudication resources for an additional year and to develop more efficient disability benefits application and decisions making processes, using digital technologies.

Addressing Sexual Misconduct and Gender-based Violence in the Military (Page 288)- redacted
• The members of Canada’s military make enormous sacrifices to protect Canadians and regardless of rank or gender, have an inalienable right to serve in safety, in a respectful and dignified work environment.
• One of the key initiatives will be to Pilot online and in-person peer support groups for Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans who experience sexual misconduct during their service. Budget 2021 provides VAC with $3.4M over four years, starting in 2021-22 for this initiative.
• Overall, Budget 2021 proposes to provide $236.2 million over five years starting in 2021-22, and $33.5 million ongoing to the Department of National Defense and Veterans Affairs Canada.

WHEN PRESSED

Q1. When will Veterans be able to access the Mental Health Benefit?
As of April 1, 2022, Veterans living across Canada who apply for a disability benefit for certain mental health conditions – as well as those who have already applied and are awaiting a decision – will automatically qualify for the new Mental Health Benefits coverage.

Q2. Can you talk about the Veteran and Family Well Being fund and what type of organizations are eligible for funding?
The Veteran and Family Well Being Fund provides support to private, public or academic organizations to conduct research and implement initiatives and projects that support the well-being of Veterans and their families.
Since the launch in 2018-19, Veterans Affairs Canada has funded 102 projects valued at $22.8M.

Q3. Can you describe what the funding of $28.6 million will be used for?
The funding of $28.6M will be used to extend disability adjudication resources for an additional year and to develop more efficient disability benefits application and decisions making processes, using digital technologies.

Reducing processing times for disability benefit applications is our number one priority.
Hiring, automation and streamlining are all contributing to improved processing times.

Q4. How will VAC work with the Department of National Defense to address Sexual Misconduct and Gender-based Violence in the Military?

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is actively working with the Department of National Defence to develop psychosocial supports for Veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma. This joint initiative focuses on the development of a CAF and VAC peer support program for survivors of military sexual misconduct, as part of the settlement of the Canadian Armed Forces - Department of National Defence Sexual Misconduct Class Action (also known as the Heyder-Beattie Class Action), and the requirement to fulfill legal obligations related to the implementation of the restorative engagement program under the final settlement agreement.