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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome #1:

Eligible Veterans and other clients achieve their optimum level of well-being through programs and services that support their care, treatment, independence, and re-establishment.

Program Activity #1.1:
Pensions, Awards, Allowances for Disability and Death; and Financial Support.

Veterans Affairs Canada provides, upon eligibility, pensions or awards for disability or death and financial support as compensation for hardships arising from disabilities and lost economic opportunities. Veterans Affairs Canada has a comprehensive and integrated range of compensation and wellness programs to support its clients. These clients include: Veterans of the First World War, the Second World War, Veterans of the Korean War, Merchant Navy Veterans, Canadian Forces members and Veterans, spouses, common-law partners, certain civilians, and survivors and dependants of military and civilian personnel. Veterans Affairs also administers disability pensions for the RCMP under a Memorandum of Understanding.

VAC's mission is to provide exemplary, client-centred services and benefits that respond to the needs of our clients, in recognition of their services to Canada. The expected result which would link this program activity to the corresponding strategic outcome is:

  • Eligible Veterans and others are appropriately compensated to contribute to their well-being.

The Department's performance measurement strategy for monitoring the program activity's related benefits and services includes an annual review to equate the performance indicators:

  • Percentage of decisions that comply with the Department's standards and business processes.

    76 percent of first applications for disability pensions and awards were completed within the service standard time of 24 weeks. While this represents a decrease in the completion rate over the previous year, the difference is largely due to improved methodology for calculating the rate rather than a reduction in service to clients.

    A quality assurance review of compliance with policies and business processes related to Disability Benefits was conducted in 2007-08. This review provided an analysis of the overall processes relating to client contact, claim preparation, adjudication, payment processing and post-decision counselling. Overall compliance with departmental policies and business processes was assessed at 91 percent. This was the first time for this review and it establishes a benchmark for program improvements and future reviews. As a follow-up to the review, the responsible program areas are developing quality improvement plans in 2008-09 to address deficiencies which were identified. Recommended improvement activities include: reviewing the delayed application policy with processing staff so that cover letters and correspondence comply with the dates by which information is to be returned to VAC; focussing on consistency in decision letters so that the rationale and citing of evidence to support the decision are always included and the letters are clear, concise and accurate; developing documentation standards specific to the Disability Pension process (standards are currently being finalized); and initiating a regular performance monitoring process which will provide coaching, mentoring and allow feedback on deficiencies identified.

    Additionally, a quality assurance review was completed to assess compliance with departmental policy and business processes related to awards, specifically Attendance Allowance (AA). This quality assurance review provided an analysis of the overall compliance with policy and business process including client eligibility, appropriateness of grade level awarded, compliance with related VIP policy of personal care limitations, timeliness of the decision and quality and appropriateness of the decision letter. Overall compliance with respect to these core indicators was assessed at 84 percent. This was the first time for this review and it establishes a benchmark for program improvements and future reviews. The deficiencies identified by the review will be discussed with the program area in 2008-09 and quality improvement plans will be developed. Recommended improvement activities include: reviewing AA policies, guidelines, business processes and appeal decisions in order to streamline the process for decision makers; reviewing the application of the Benefit Counselling Policy with respect to AA and the entitlement of the client with respect to unmet needs; reviewing documentation requirements with all Area Counsellors so that the AA Assessment provides sufficient detail to support the need for and level of AA; and initiating a regular performance monitoring program which will provide coaching, mentoring and allow feedback on deficiencies identified.
  • Number and duration of Veterans in receipt of Temporary Earnings Loss, Extended Earnings Loss and Canadian Forces Income Support.

    The duration of clients in receipt of financial support varies. In no case is the file closed while a need exists. There were 406 clients receiving Temporary Earnings Loss funds as of March 31, 2008. The cost for this program in 2007-08 was $9.9 million.

    There were 32 clients in receipt of Extended Earnings Loss funding at a cost of $1.5 million for 2007-08.

    The Canadian Forces Income Support is a tax-free benefit which helps Canadian Forces Veterans who are able to work but have not been able to find a job or have a low-paying job after completing the Rehabilitation Program. While this benefit was available, there were no eligible clients during 2007-08.

The Department's performance is also measured every two years to validate the performance indicator:

  • Percentage of surveyed clients satisfied with the benefits and services which they have received.

    The 2007 National Client Satisfaction Survey reported global findings of an overall level of satisfaction of 79 percent. This included clients both in receipt of benefits and services and those who were declined a benefit or service. New questions were added to the 2007 survey to gain more specific insight into our programs and services and whether they are meeting clients' needs. Because the 2007 survey differs from previous ones, we cannot directly compare the final results (overall satisfaction in 2005 was 84 percent). Asking these new questions has given us further insight and created a new benchmark so we can monitor our clients' satisfaction levels on even more aspects of our programs and services.

Financial Resources ($ millions):



Planned Spending Authorities Actual Spending
2,182.6 2,201.2 2,067.9

Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents):



Planned Authorities Actuals
1,261 1,384 1,384

Program Activity #1.2:
Health Care and Re-establishment Benefits and Services.

Veterans Affairs Canada provides, upon eligibility, health benefits, a Veterans Independence Program, long-term care, and rehabilitation and re-establishment support to eligible Veterans and others. The Health Care Program is designed to enhance the quality of life of VAC clients, promote independence, and assist in keeping clients at home and in their own communities by providing a continuum of care.

The expected result which would link this program activity to the corresponding strategic outcome is:

  • Eligible Veterans and others receive the treatment benefits and services to meet their identified needs.

The Department's performance in providing health care and re-establishment benefits and services to clients is measured by the following performance indicators:

  • Total Program of Choice expenditures.

    Program of Choice expenditures are one component of VAC's Health Care and Re-establishment Benefits and Services and do not include VIP and Long Term Care expenditures. Total program of choice expenditures for 2007-08 were $261.8 million, a 1.6 percent decrease from 2006-07 levels. While Canadian Forces clients and expenditures continue to increase, this was more than offset by the decline in the number of war service clients receiving benefits and a decrease in the average cost per transaction for war service clients.
  • Total contract services to administer the program expenditures.

    For 2007-08, health care processing system contract fees (not including Vocational Rehabilitation and Job Placement) totalled $23.8 million. Contract services costs include fees per transaction for Treatment Benefits, the Veterans Independence Program, and Health Related Travel as well as contractor administration costs. Total costs for 2007-08 were $1 million less than 2006-07. The decrease was in contractor administration costs related to the treatment authorization centre.
  • Level of compliance with departmental standards and business processes.

    The Quality Management Program conducts periodic reviews of Health Care Programs and Service Delivery to assess the extent of compliance with departmental standards and business processes. These reviews operate on a three year cycle, providing evidence relating to program and service delivery compliance, and also providing qualitative recommendations for program and service improvement.

    During 2007-08, the Quality Management Program completed a comprehensive review of compliance with departmental policies and guidelines with respect to case management. Case management functions assessed in this review included interdisciplinary teamwork, individualized client assessment and case planning, service co-ordination and outcome evaluation. The overall compliance with departmental policy and business processes with respect to case management service delivery was assessed at 61 percent. Other national quality assurance reviews were conducted to provide an in-depth analysis of compliance with nationally standardized client assessment and case planning processes. The overall compliance with respect to these two services was assessed at 70 percent and 67 percent respectively. These internal reviews and other monitoring activities determined that, while staff embraced the need for case management to support the successful implementation of New Veterans Charter programs, there were areas where additional understanding, awareness and training of specific program elements were required. As such, the Department undertook to enhance case management by taking direct action to augment the quality of case management through staff training, opportunities for managers to share practices and enhancing the client service team certification process. In addition, a working group was created to look further into the practice of case management in the Department in order to make recommendations and implement a comprehensive strategy on case management that would provide quality service to clients.
  • Total Rehabilitation/Vocational expenditure.

    Vocational Rehabilitation expenditures for 2007-08 were $3.1 million, compared to an approved reference level of $11.3 million. These expenditures were higher than in 2006-07 and are expected to continue to increase as client uptake of programs under the New Veterans Charter continues to grow.

Financial Resources ($ millions):



Planned Spending Authorities Actual Spending
1,128.7 1,169.9 1,065.5

Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents):



Planned Authorities Actuals
2,130 2,144 2,144


Strategic Outcome #2:

Canadians remember and demonstrate their recognition of all those who served in Canada's efforts during war, military conflict and peace.

Program Activity # 2.1:
Remembrance Programming.

Remembrance Programming keeps alive the achievements and sacrifices made by those who served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace; engages communities in remembrance of these achievements and sacrifices; and promotes an understanding of their significance in Canadian life as we know it today.

VAC's mission also includes keeping the memory of Canada's Veterans achievements and sacrifices alive for all Canadians. The expected result which would link this program activity to the corresponding strategic outcome is:

  • Canadians who commemorate, understand and value the achievements and sacrifices of those who have served Canada in war, military conflict and peace.

The Department's performance measurement strategy used to report on the expected result includes measuring on a regular basis the following performance indicator:

  • Percentage of Canadians who are knowledgeable about and engaged in remembrance.

    Successful results were achieved and are supported by the 2007 National Client Satisfaction Survey which indicates that 85 percent of VAC's clients (80 percent in 2005) were satisfied with how VAC delivers its Commemoration activities.

    Research conducted for Veterans' Week 2007 shows that 64 percent of Canadians (66 percent in 2006) had heard of Veterans' Week, and that 75 percent (72 percent in 2006) agree that it is important to mark Veterans' Week each year. The level of participation in Veterans' Week activities held steady at 34 percent in 2007 (compared to 35 percent in 2006). Consistent with 2006, half of Canadians (51 percent) reported watching the Remembrance Day 2007 National War Memorial ceremonies on TV while 34 percent noticed the "Lest We Forget" posters (compared to 21 percent in 2006). The Government of Canada Lest We Forget vignette ran for two weeks prior to Remembrance Day. Research indicates that 60 percent of Canadians saw, read or heard advertising about our Veterans. Of those who recalled the advertising, 61 percent accurately recalled facets of the vignette.

Financial Resources ($ millions):



Planned Spending Authorities Actual Spending
52.9 56.3 48.1

Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents):



Planned Authorities Actuals
162 189 189


Strategic Outcome #3:

Fair and effective resolution of disability pension, disability award, and War Veterans Allowance appeals from Canada's war Veterans, eligible Canadian Forces Veterans and members, RCMP clients, qualified civilians and their families.

Program Activity # 3.1:
Veterans Review and Appeal Board redress process for disability pensions and awards.

Provides Canada's war Veterans, eligible Canadian Forces Veterans and members, RCMP clients, qualified civilians and their families with full opportunity to request review and appeal hearings to ensure a fair adjudicative process for disability pension, disability award and War Veterans Allowance claims.

The Board has full jurisdiction to hear, determine and deal with all applications for review and appeal that may be made to the Board under the Pension Act, the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act, the War Veterans Allowance Act and other Acts of Parliament. The Board's objective is to ensure that clients receive the benefits to which they are entitled efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the available evidence and the applicable legislation. The expected result which would link this program activity to the corresponding strategic outcome is:

  • Fairness in the Disability Pension, Disability Award and War Veterans Allowance Program.

The Board's performance measurement strategy in meeting its strategic outcome is measured on a quarterly basis to validate the performance indicator:

  • Percentage of Federal Court decisions that uphold the target set by the Board.

    When all Board redress avenues have been exhausted, applicants may apply to the Federal Court for a Judicial Review. In 2007-08, eleven appellants filed an application with the Federal Court (less than 0.2 percent of the Board's 7,303 decisions). The Federal Court issued nine rulings, four of which upheld the decision of the Board while five were returned for reconsideration. Two decisions were returned to the Board to be re-heard pursuant to a Consent Order.

Financial Resources ($ millions):



Planned Spending Authorities Actual Spending
13.7 15.2 15.0

Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents):



Planned Authorities Actuals
143 143 142