Budget 2021 – Veterans Affairs
April 27, 2021
Budget 2021 – Veterans AffairsThe following has been received from: Earlier this week Minister Freeland tabled Budget 2021, which included a number of items specifically for Veterans. Veterans Affairs Canada received the following supports that I thought may be of interest to you. For further details, the full Budget can be found here. Mental Health– Provide $140M over 5 years starting this year to cover the mental health care costs of Veterans while their disability benefit application is being processed. Veteran and Family Well Being Fund– Building on the Fund’s successes, the budget proposes an additional $15M over 3 years beginning this year to expand and enhance the VFWF for projects that will support Veterans during the post-COVID -19 recovery, including homelessness, employment, retraining, and health challenges. Service Excellence Funding– Continued funding for tackling the backlog. $28M will be allotted to future years and will allow VAC to retain trained staff into the future. Homelessness– $45M over 2 years, beginning in 2022-23 for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to pilot a program aimed at reducing Veteran homelessness through the provision of rent supplements and wrap-around services for homeless Veterans such as counselling, addiction treatment, and help finding a job. This is in addition to the $2.5 billion announced for affordable housing. DND-VAC– $236.2M over five years, starting in 2021-22, and $33.5M per year after that to the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada to expand their work to eliminate sexual misconduct and gender-based violence in the military and support survivors. – VAC will use $3.4M to pilot online and in-person peer support groups for CAF members and Veterans who experienced sexual misconduct during their service. This peer support program is part of a lager plan to address sexual misconduct in the CAF. Long-Term Care:– $3B to work with provinces to ensure needed reforms are made and standards are implemented and kept to protect people in LTC homes. If you would like to discuss anything further or have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.” Mike Duffy |
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