AFP Newsletter - Spring 2022 ENGLISH

Issue #39 • Spring 2022 Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada 3 T he disability benefits backlog has emerged over the past five years as a major source of stress for many of Canada’s Veterans. As processing delays continue, the federal government has stated that the backlog has been caused by a dramatic increase in the number of claims from injured Veterans over the past six years, as more benefits became available and more former service members learned about them. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) received $192 million in June 2020 to hire temporary staff, in an attempt to reduce the backlog of claims awaiting processing and approval. The federal government has recently pledged an additional $139.6 million over two years to extend 595 temporary positions which had been added at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to help reduce the backlog of disability claims. This will allow for the retention of experienced staff hired to deal with pro- cessing claims from injured serving and former CAF members. Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay announced the commitment in a news re- lease on February 23, 2022. The move came as a sur- prise given that just three weeks prior, he informed a parliamentary committee that any such decision would have to wait for the coming federal budget, due out this spring. Without the additional funding, VAC was anticipat- ing it would only be able to renew the contracts of only about one-third of the temporary staff hired to deal with the backlog. “Nothing is more important right now than ensur- ing Veterans receive their benefits in a timely manner and we remain committed to reducing the processing times for disability benefit applications,” MacAulay’s statement said. “We are making tangible progress, but the job is not done. With this investment, VAC staff can continue making decisions faster, and get the back- log under control.” Veterans have frequently described the lengthy application process as a source of frustration. Many have also pointed to lengthy wait times for applications despite a staff service standard to render decisions on disability benefit applications within 16 weeks. Between 2015-16 and 2019-20, VAC experienced a 40% increase in disability benefit applications, includ- ing an increase of more than 75% in first applications. In June 2020, the department released its strategy to address the long-standing issue of processing times for benefits, and hired more than 350 temporary employ- ees dedicated to address the backlog. Combined with improvements to the decision-making process, VAC has reduced the backlog by 44%, from 23,000 to just under 13,000. By the end of March 2022, VAC expects to have cut the number of applications waiting longer than its 16-week service standard by half (11,500) and by spring 2023, to about 5,000. “Reducing processing times is our number one priority,” MacAulay told members of the standing committee on Veterans’ affairs on Feb. 1. “Over the past several years, we’ve hired hundreds of staff, made improvements to the applications process and simplified decision-making for some medical condi- tions.” It is important to note, however, that many expect the disability claims backlog will continue to grow as increased numbers of CAF members are medically released following the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic. New funding aimed at shrinking backlog of Veterans’ disability claims Guarding YOUR Pension Join Us Today Membership ensures that all Armed Forces pensioners and their spouses have a strong advocacy voice. The Armed Force Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada is committed to protect and promote the interests of retired Canadian Forces personnel and their spouses. AFP/AAC objectives: • To oppose attempts to reduce indexation of the CAF Superannuation Benefit. • To advocate for an increase in the Survivor Benefit. • To lobby against a “Target Benefit” pension plan which could replace the current “Defined Benefit” plan (and inflation protection), for CAF pensioners. • To lobby for benefits of widows/widowers of CAF pension- ers who they married after the pensioner reached age 60. Visit www.afpaac.ca to learn more about membership benefits. Membership is only $ 15/ year