Question Period Note: IN-PERSON SERVICE DELIVERY

• 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 2022. Currently, almost all (97%) of our service locations are seeing Veterans in-person by appointment except for one location due to security issues.

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

• We have resumed our in-person visits in the Territories and other northern communities. In 2023 we have conducted 8 visits. So far in 2024 we have conducted 10 visits.

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) took a phased approach.
In May 2022, our field office sites started their return to the workplace beginning at 10% capacity. In July, 2022 offices moved to 30% capacity and gradual access to the public began by appointment only. Over the last 2 years, we have gradually increased capacity and we now currently operate at 100% capacity. However, it does not mean that 100% of our staff are present at all times in our offices.
As of today, 37 of 38 area offices and 25 of 26 Transition Centers have been re-occupied providing in-person services. This means 97% of our points of service where there is permanent staff are operational providing in-person service. We have approximately 200 employees working at Transition Centers across the country. As of September 30, 2024, we have provided in-person service on 29,203 occasions across the country.
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 (only 2 sites left). 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, face to face videoconference and through My VAC Account. In February 2023 we re-introduced home appointments with Veterans and their families when this type of meeting is needed.
As part of the announcements from Budget 2016, we have expanded our outreach to Veterans and their families in the Territories and northern communities and committed to 12 visits a year in the areas of Yukon; Northwest Territories; Nunavut; Northern Quebec; and Northern Labrador. We are currently serving 647 veterans in these areas. Since resuming this service post pandemic, we have conducted 8 of these visits in 2023, including providing in-person service to Veterans living in these communities, and 10 of these visits in 2024.
Veterans and their families can request an appointment anytime on-line (https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/contact/book-an-appointment) , through My VAC Account or by calling our toll free number at 1-866-522-2122. Although we are providing services by appointment, we will immediately serve Veterans in crisis who walk into our offices for assistance.
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.

WHEN PRESSED:

Q1 – Which VAC area offices are currently open to in-person visits from Veterans.
The majority of our service locations (97%) are currently providing in-person service by appointment. Veterans can request an in-person appointment anytime on-line (https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/contact/book-an-appointment) or through My VAC Account. Since we began providing in-person service by appointment in July 2022, we have served 29,203 Veterans.
Q2 – What percentage of staff who work directly with Veterans work remotely?
Since the implementation of the Government of Canada hybrid work model, all frontline staff across the country who work directly with Veterans work in a hybrid environment. This means they have scheduled days in the office (at least 3 days every week) to meet operational requirements as well as the new office presence mandate and to meet with Veterans in person, but also day where they work remotely from home. Our staff continue to meet their core mandate in providing timely service and support to our Veterans and their families to ensure their needs are met.
Q3 – What Northern Communities do VAC visit and what do you do when you are there?
Since 2016, as part of the Budget announcements, we have expanded our outreach to Veterans and their families in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Northern Labrador. We have a commitment to conduct 12 visits per year.
We have staff (Case Managers and Veterans Service Agents) assigned to conduct outreach visits in these Northern Communities. They engage with Veterans to deliver in-person service and to deliver VAC programs and services in a culturally-appropriate manner; and, they also network with elders, community partners and service providers to raise awareness of VAC services and benefits. Currently we serve 647 veterans across the Northern Communities.