Real Change: A New Plan For a Strong Middle Class (page 50)

"The hundreds of Veterans Affairs Canada workers cut under the previous Conservative government are in the process of being replaced. Case managers, client service agents and disability benefits officers are among the positions currently being filled according to Carl Gannon, the national president of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees. In his mandate letter to Veterans' Affairs Minister Kent Hehr, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a priority will be to "re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General's recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans." In a statement sent to CBC Tuesday, the department wrote, "The Government of Canada is committed to hiring as many new staff as needed to ensure veterans and their families can access the benefits and services they need when and where they need them." Gannon said at this stage, between 80 to 100 workers have already been hired and are in the process of being trained." 

(CBC, January 6, 2016)

« Budget 2016 also proposes to hire additional case managers to reduce the client-to-case manager ratio to no more than 25:1. Case managers represent the first line of  intervention to help veterans in their rehabilitation process and to coordinate referrals to health care providers. Reducing the client-to-case manager ratio will help veterans make successful transitions to civilian life. To implement these measures, Budget 2016 proposes to provide $78.1 million over five years, starting in 2016–17.»

("Growing The Middle Class" Budget 2016-2017)

« The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, joined Veterans and their families, along with newly hired employees in Winnipeg, Manitoba, today to provide an update on the Government of Canada’s mandate commitments to improve the lives of Veterans and their families.

The Minister held a meet and greet Friday morning with more than 50 new frontline and support staff, including case managers, who were attending an orientation and training program. By hiring more frontline employees, the Department will ensure each case manager has a caseload of an average of 25 Veterans. »

(Press Release, September 23, 2016)