Evidence of meeting #14 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was charter.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Eve Adams Conservative Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Thank you very much.
Can you tell me how much the VAC budget has increased in aggregate over the last six years?
10:05 a.m.
Director General, Service Delivery and Program Management, Department of Veterans Affairs
It's increased in a cumulative way by 3.1.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
10:05 a.m.
Director General, Service Delivery and Program Management, Department of Veterans Affairs
Yes. That's correct.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Eve Adams Conservative Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Okay—not that I would know that number.
How much of an increase to the budget do the enhancements to the new Veterans Charter represent?
10:05 a.m.
Director General, Policy and Research Division, Department of Veterans Affairs
The enhancements to the new Veterans Charter are $189 million over the next five years.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Eve Adams Conservative Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Are these for services and benefits that will go to our veterans?
10:05 a.m.
Director General, Policy and Research Division, Department of Veterans Affairs
Absolutely.
These are actual dollars in the pockets of veterans who are benefiting from the services. The accrual costs of that over the lifetime of the program are $2 billion, which has created some challenge for communicating the messaging around that. Certainly, that's the long-term cost of the program, which is a significant investment. But over the next five years, $189 million is forecast to be spent. It could be more depending on the demand.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
Thank you very much.
That concludes our question and answer period.
I want to thank our witnesses very much. I think we've received a lot of very helpful information. I understand that you are going to provide some additional information in writing to the committee. We appreciate that.
We'll suspend briefly while our witnesses have a chance to depart. I will point out that we are going into committee business and that it's in camera. Anybody who is not part of the committee process I would also ask to take the opportunity to leave.
Thank you, again.
[Proceedings continue in camera]