VAC fails veterans’ families and caregivers

May 18, 2023 – Since the enactment of the New Veterans Charter in 2006, the National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA) has taken the strong position that the Government has not sufficiently addressed the plight of families of veterans, particularly in circumstances where a member of the family, often a spouse, is required to act in the role of caregiver to a disabled veteran.

As a matter of legislative background, the Family Caregiver Relief Benefit was introduced by the Government in 2015. This program proved to be clearly inadequate, as it failed to provide appropriate financial support for the families of seriously disabled veterans where significant needs of attendance must be provided by a caregiver who often has had to leave their employment to do so.