Thank you, Mr. Lizon.
This is an important benefit, and it's part of several reforms we've done in recent years to try to provide more support for the family. This is a living charter. I want to do more in the future because the family is so critical to the wellness of the veteran. We've expanded to allow veterans and their families to use family resource centres, and we've expanded psychological counselling and support to family members, not just the injured service member.
The family caregiver relief benefit is targeted at the most seriously injured to provide flexibility for those people who are informal caregivers in the home. I hope it will serve as the model for doing even more in the future. It's a little under $8,000 annually in terms of payment. We're trying to build it with as little administrative burden as possible because we don't want to make it paperwork intensive. It serves to provide flexibility for caregivers if they need to attend a child's graduation or summer camp, have their own surgery, get some extra professional help, fly in a family member, or just recharge their batteries. It's there as a tax-free grant just to provide some flexibility.
Does it solve all problems? Absolutely not, but it's recognition that there's caregiver fatigue. I talk regularly to military spouses, the Caregivers Brigade, a range of people, and we're trying to do a number of things to support the family.
Rehabilitative experts also say that the more you can provide supports that do not require the spouse or partner to leave their vocation or job, the better. This is so that they make that choice on their own, because their wellness is important. You don't want everyone leaving their career and part of their personal wellness to support someone who's injured in the home.
I think it's an important first step.