Question Period Note: IN-PERSON SERVICE DELIVERY & Office Re-Opening and Return to Office

• The Government is fully committed to the health and well-being of Veterans and their families and ensure they have the support they need when and where they need it. That includes providing in-person service by appointment.

• Veterans Affairs Canada re-opened offices in May 2022, began providing in-person service in July, and recently increased capacity to 60%.

• Currently, almost all of our service locations are seeing Veterans in-person by appointment.

• We continue to provide services to Veterans and their families virtually by phone, through My VAC Account and face to face through videoconferencing.

Office Re-Opening and Return to Office
• Like other Departments Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is transitioning from a remote by default posture to a hybrid workplace.

• Employees are returning to work on-site for a number of days depending on operational requirements.

• Facilities and worksites are being fit-up to accommodate as many employee as possible given Health and Safety specifications.

• By January 23, 2023 employees are required to work on site at least two days a week.

BACKGROUND – IN PERSON SERVICE DELIVERY
The pandemic forced us to suspend in-person services. However, services to clients have continued with little to no disruption (service standards have remained high).
In preparation for a return to onsite work, the Field Operations Division (FOD) planned a phased approach.
In May 2022, our field office sites started their return to the workplace beginning at 10% capacity. Locations were re-occupied in phases, based on readiness, location and size. In July, the offices moved to 30% capacity. Once 30% capacity was achieved in a given office, access to the public began by appointment only. Recently, our office capacity increased to 60% to allow more flexibility; however, it does not mean that 60% of our staff will be present at all times in our offices.
Today, 95% of our area offices (36 AOs) and staff located in 77% of Transition Centres (20 TCs) are providing in-person services by appointment. As of November 14, 2022, we have provided in-person service on 1,137 occasions across the country. You can consult the Operational Status of Field Office report here.
Sites that are not yet re-occupied or providing in-person services are due to occupational health and safety concerns, accommodation readiness or undergoing an office refit. It is unknown at this time when these sites will be ready for re-occupancy or provide in-person service. Veterans and their families served by these field offices can speak to their VAC representative for alternate arrangements. We continue to provide virtual service to Veterans and their families by phone and through My VAC Account. During the pandemic, we implemented videoconferencing capabilities for virtual face to face calls using MS Teams which continues to be effective.
Veterans and their families can request an appointment anytime on-line, through My VAC Account or by calling our toll free number at 1-866-522-2122. Although we are providing services by appointment only, we will immediately serve Veterans in crisis who walk into our offices for assistance without an appointment. For all other walk-ins who do not have an appointment booked, we conduct the triage and book an appointment if required.
We are gradually increasing capacity at our sites while respecting the Government of Canada guidelines for a return to the workplace. At this time, there are no timelines for a full return to an open door / no appointment required method of service delivery. There are many factors to consider and the health and safety of Veterans, their families and our employees is our top priority.
Veterans and their families can always contact us over the phone through our National Client Contact Centre from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm local standard time, and through secure message via My VAC Account.

BACKGROUND - Office Re-Opening and Return to Office
The pandemic introduced new considerations on how public servants do their work, such as an ability to work remotely.

VAC’s re-occupancy activities continue based on Health Canada’s Public Service Occupational Health Program COVID-19 Guidance.

VAC’s planning factors in the reduction in space availability due to the primary headquarters being temporarily moved as the VAC flagship building was vacated for a multi-year renovation.
VAC has partnered with Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) on the Hybrid-In-A-Box Initiative to gain insights about the employee hybrid work experience, including how reported measures vary across staff testing different work models. VAC is contributing to the Government of Canada's body of research about hybrid work and VAC will use these findings to inform decision-making.

The focus is on enabling the workforce with access to the right tools, policies, guidelines and resources to undertake their work effectively on-site (workplace readiness activities).

A Lead Sponsor has been identified for the Future of Work initiative, which encompasses Return To Work (RTW): A/Assistant Deputy Minister, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Services. A Human Resources (HR) team is managing the project in collaboration with key enabling partners such as the Integrated Workplace Services (IWS) team.

All VAC employees will be expected to have a regular onsite presence (i.e. at least once a week) starting December 5, 2022 and re-entry preparation is ongoing for 2 days a week for most employees as of January 23, 2023.

VAC successfully re-occupied its facilities nation-wide and is providing in-person services at its service centers. As of November 18, 2022, 92% of field offices and 77% of VAC Transition Centres on CAF bases are seeing clients in person by appointment.

Consultation with Bargaining Agents are an essential part of our re-entry partnerships.

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