Certainly, and thank you very much for the question.
You made reference to the connection to Prince Edward Island, and Charlottetown specifically. I want to acknowledge the incredible individuals from your riding and from surrounding ridings who work with VAC.
Thank you very much for mentioning the investments we've talked about a couple of times: both the investment over the next four years and the ongoing funding, which is $40.1 million. The stable support strengthens VAC's ability to serve veterans effectively as needs continue to evolve. This funding is going to stabilize and modernize the disability benefits and service delivery. These investments are going to ensure that VAC can meet increases in demand while modernizing how disability benefits are delivered, making systems more responsive, consistent and sustainable over the longer term.
Specifically within the $184.9 million is $24 million that is dedicated to modernizing IT infrastructure and operational processes. This allows VAC to manage current and future demand more effectively to ensure that veterans receive timely, accessible and reliable support. These investments allow us to continue simplifying processes, reducing paperwork and eliminating unnecessary barriers so that veterans can spend less time navigating systems and more time focusing on their health, their families and their next steps.
My message to veterans is this: When you serve, you can count on us to have a system that is dependable and built to support you throughout your life.