Veterans Affairs Canada
www.vac-acc.gc.ca
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The Veterans Affairs Portfolio consists of:
- the Department of Veterans Affairs, which reports to the Minister of Veterans Affairs;
- the Veterans Review and Appeal Board which reports to Parliament through the Minister of Veterans Affairs; and
- the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman, which also reports to Parliament through the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
The Department is made up of three branches and five divisions which report to the Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs.
The branches are:
- Service Delivery & Commemoration Branch,
- Policy Program & Partnerships; and
- Corporate Services Branch
The divisions are:
- Audit and Evaluation
- Bureau of Pensions Advocates
- Communications
- Departmental Secretariat and Policy Coordination
- Human Resources
Personal information contained in the Department's personal information banks is used by all components of the Portfolio
The Department of Veterans Affairs
Service Delivery & Commemoration Branch
This branch is responsible for:
- the delivery of benefits and services and for providing social and economic support that respond to the needs of Veterans, our other clients and their families.
- for keeping alive the memory of the achievements and sacrifices made by those who served and continue to serve Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace.
Policy, Programs and Partnerships Branch
This branch is responsible for:
- ensuring that VAC programs and policies remain relevant and meet the current and future needs of our clients.
- developing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in support of program and policy development.
Corporate Services Branch
This branch is responsible for:
- ensuring the effective and efficient use and protection of the Portfolio's financial, material and information technology resources.
- administering property agreements with participating Veterans and assisting Veterans settled under the Veterans' Land Act.
The branch also provides support services to the rest of the Portfolio, including:
- records and facilities management;
- video conferencing;
- Business Resumption Planning;
- security and emergency preparedness;
- employment equity and official languages programs;
- service standards;
- access to information and privacy activities.
Access to Information Request Form
Personal Information Request Form
Send all requests for information to the following address:Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator's Office
PO Box 7700
Charlottetown PE C1A 8M9
- Download the Access to Information Request Form (Opens a New Window)
- Download the Personal Information Request Form (Opens a New Window)
Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)
Human Resources Division
The Human Resources Division provides a wide variety of strategic and operational advice and services to the Portfolio including:
- HR planning;
- Resourcing (recruitment, staffing, workforce adjustment);
- Employment Equity;
- Official Languages;
- Learning and Organizational Development;
- Awards and Recognition; Executive Services;
- Employee Assistance Program;
- Informal Conflict Management;
- Values and Ethics;
- Organizational Design and Classification;
- Compensation and Benefits;
- Labour Relations; and
- Political Activities.
The Human Resources Division (HRD) is managed by a Director General (DG), who reports to the Deputy Minister. The Division operates from Veterans Affairs Canada's Head Office in Charlottetown. The DG-HR also has functional authority over regional directors of HR and their teams and is the Senior Informal Conflict Management System (ICMS) official.
Bureau of Pensions Advocates
The Bureau of Pensions Advocates provides free advice, assistance and representation for individuals dissatisfied with decisions rendered by VAC with respect to their claims for entitlement to disability benefits, or any assessment awarded for their claimed conditions. As the head of the Bureau, the Chief Pensions Advocate reports to the Associate Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs and is assisted by two Regional Managers. The Bureau's advocates are dedicated exclusively to assisting clients in the redress process.
Audit and Evaluation
Audit and Evaluation is committed to a Quality Policy which is understood, implemented and maintained at all levels of the organization. The intended outcome is consistent product development and client satisfaction with agreed upon project specifications.
This Division is committed to promoting beneficial change through independent reviews of programs and operations for Portfolio Managers and other stakeholders, and to providing quality review services and reports. To support this objective, management is committed to providing the leadership and the required resources to establish and maintain an ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
Communications Division
The Communications Division is responsible for developing and implementing communications initiatives that support the Department's strategic objectives and priorities. The Division is guided by the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that communications across the Government of Canada are well co-ordinated, effectively managed and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public.
In keeping with this policy, the Division is committed to providing timely, accurate and clear information. We are also committed to delivering objective and complete communications about our policies, programs and services.
Departmental Secretariat and Policy Coordination Division
The Departmental Secretariat and Policy Coordination (DSPC) Division is headed by a Director General (DG), who reports to the Deputy Minister. The Division operates from Veterans Affairs Canada's Head Office in Ottawa with some staff in Charlottetown.
The DSPC Division is responsible for providing services to the Deputy Minister and executive support to the Minister. This includes support for the Minister's participation at Cabinet Committees and coordination of Cabinet, legislative and regulatory initiatives. The Secretariat is responsible for the interaction with Central Agencies, Parliamentary liaison including committee appearances, coordination of Question Period and briefings. It supports the Deputy Minister by managing committees chaired by the Deputy Minister internally and providing a corporate support role for external committees. The division manages ministerial and deputy minister correspondence and telephone enquiries. A Service centre provides support services to Ottawa employees and the Minister's departmental Office.
Veterans Review and Appeal Board - An Independent Tribunal
The Veterans Review and Appeal Board (Opens a New Window) is an independent, quasi-judicial agency established by Parliament in 1995. The Board replaced the former Veterans Appeal Board and the former Canadian Pension Commission.
The Board considers disability compensation reviews and appeals arising under the Pension Act (Opens a New Window), the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act (Opens a New Window), the War Veterans Allowance Act (Opens a New Window), the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act (Opens a New Window), the Civilian War-related Benefits Act (Opens a New Window), and other related statutes. The Board does not have the authority to review all of the Department's decisions.
Applicants who are dissatisfied with a disability compensation decision have the right to appeal to the Board. The Board can review the Department's decisions related to disability pensions or awards; special awards including Attendance Allowance, Exceptional Incapacity Allowance and Clothing Allowance; and dependent/survivor benefits. The Board is the final level for disability compensation appeals from decisions made at the review level by the Board itself, and War Veterans Allowance appeals from decisions taken by Regional Review Committees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The appeal process is completely independent of Veterans Affairs Canada and the Board's decisions are not subject to external influences.
Federal Healthcare Partnership
Federal Healthcare Partnership's (Opens a New Window) mission is to identify, promote and implement more efficient and effective healthcare programs through collaboration of the Partners. The two main goals for the Partnership are:
- To achieve economies of scale, while enhancing provision of care for clients; and
- To provide strategic leadership on key healthcare issues.
Currently, the main areas of FHP involvement are: audiology, dental care, Federal/Provincial/Territorial representation, health human resources, health information management, medical supplies and equipment recycling, mental health, pharmacy, and vision care.
Additional information on the Federal Healthcare Partnership (Opens a New Window) may be found at the Web site.
