Question Period Note: BUDGET 2024

• Since 2016, our Government has invested more than $11 billion in Veterans’ initiatives.

• Budget 2024 proposed significant investments to protect Canadians at home and abroad.

• Specifically, this Budget built on our historic investments and continues to reflect our commitment that Veterans and their families receive the support and services they need, when they need it.

• This Budget proposed further investments of over $26 million to:

o make sure that releasing Veterans and their families have continued access to family medical services;

o provide additional resources to community based groups that support the well-being of Veterans and their families,

o recognize Canada’s contributions to key military anniversaries such as D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, and more modern conflicts such as Cyprus, and;
o support Newfoundland's National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

BACKGROUND

BUDGET 2024: FAIRNESS FOR EVERY GENERATION
focused on the following key areas:
• Affordable Homes
• Lifting up Every Generation through social safety net enhancements
• Lowering Everyday Costs
• Boosting research, innovation and productivity to support economic growth
• Advancing reconciliation
• Safer communities,
• Investments for Indigenous people,
• Protecting Canadians and defending democracy
• Tax fairness

FUNDING/IMPACTS FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS CANADA (VAC)
Supporting Veterans’ Well-Being = $6.0M to Veteran Family Well-Being Fund.
Telemedicine Services for Veterans and Their Families = $9.3M for three years.
Commemorating Canada’s Veterans = $7.8M for Juno Beach Centre and milestone anniversary events.
Also, the government proposes to make technical amendments to the Pension Act and the Department of Veterans Affairs Act to clarify the methodology used to calculate Veterans’ and RCMP serving and retired members’ benefits.
PREVIOUS FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
The investments made in Budget 2024 continue the tradition of support for Canada’s Veterans and their families. Through successive budgets, we have invested over $11 billion in new funding including:
• Budget 2023 provided $156.7M in new funding to VAC, the RCMP, and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board to reduce backlogs and support service delivery across several programs and services.
• Budget 2022 provided additional funding of $139.6 million to continue to reduce the wait times.
• Budget 2021 provided an additional $15 million over three years to the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund for projects that support Veterans during the post COVID-19 recovery. This includes addressing homelessness, employment, retraining, health challenges, and women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST/RELEVANCE TO VAC
1. Affordable Housing
2. Supports for Persons with Disabilities
3. Support to the Care Economy
4. Strengthening Long-Term Care
5. Stronger National Defence
6. Responsible Government Spending Refocusing

When Pressed:
Q1 – Can you describe what the funding will be used for?
Funding of $9.3 million over 5 years starting in 2024-25 will be used to extend and expand the Telemedicine pilot. This will ensure all honourably releasing Veterans and their families have access to a family physician for two years during their transition to civilian life.

Additional funding of $6 million over 3 years starting in 2024-25 to the Veteran Family Well Being Fund will ensure this successful program can continue to provide on the ground supports to Veterans and families in their own communities, in particular those most in need such as Indigenous, women, and 2SLGBTQ2I+ Veterans.

A total of $7.8 million over 5 years starting in 2024-25 to support the continued commemoration and recognition of Canada’s contribution to military conflicts around the world. Our longstanding support to the Juno Beach Centre, Canada’s only Second World War memorial in France will continue for an additional five years. Wartime anniversaries such as the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy will be recognized at home and abroad. We will also increase support for modern day Veterans and their sacrifices through milestone events including Cyprus and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Since the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, $2.5 million in 2023-24 and $1.1M in 2024-25 to support the refurbishment of the Newfoundland and Labrador National War Memorial and creation of a Tomb of the Unknown Newfoundland Soldier as well as related ceremonies.

Q2 – Did the Department get everything they asked for in Budget 2024?
Our focus continues to be supporting Veterans and their families. We work with Veterans and stakeholders to continually improve our programs and services to ensure they meet the needs of today’s Veterans.

Q3 – How will the Government’s Refocusing Spending efforts impact Veterans?

We are committed to effective and efficient government operations. Beginning last year, we continue to review government spending to identify duplication, low value for money and lack of alignment with priorities. Direct benefits and services to Veterans and their families will not be impacted through this process.