Thank you very much for the question.
The time frame depends on the veteran's request. A veteran may have a service-related injury or illness. As we heard in the testimony in the first hour of this meeting, people who have been exposed to contaminants or other things during their military service may suffer immediate effects, but it can sometimes take five or 10 years before the disease occurs.
As soon as they say they have an illness or a health problem related to their military service, veterans can apply to Veterans Affairs Canada. The period for the department to make a decision is supposed to be 16 weeks. We had a hard time meeting that 16-week standard, but we have improved a lot. Currently, the average time to get a decision from the department is 19 weeks. In some cases, the time frame is shorter. In more complex cases, it can take a few extra weeks.