Veterans Affairs Committee on March 23rd, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

I now call this meeting to order.

Hello everyone. It's a pleasure to welcome you to this meeting.

Welcome to meeting number 26 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted on November 25, 2025, the committee is meeting as part of its study on the monitoring of the rehabilitation services contract awarded to PCVRS.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. This morning, all our witnesses and members of Parliament are here in person. I will ask all participants to consult the guidelines written on the cards on the table. These measures are in place to help prevent audio feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including the interpreters. We thank them all the time.

Thank you, dear interpreters.

You will also notice a QR code on the card, which links to a short awareness video.

To ensure the meeting goes smoothly, I'd like to provide some guidelines to the witnesses and members.

Before speaking, participants must wait for me to recognize them by name.

As I mentioned, I don't think anyone is joining via Zoom today. Those in the room can use the headset and choose the desired channel to listen to interpretation. All comments from members and witnesses must be made through the chair.

Before introducing our witnesses, I would like to briefly discuss a supplementary budget that was distributed to the committee on March 16. The purpose of this budget is to fund the last few meetings for our study on suicide prevention among veterans.

Is it the will of the committee to adopt the budget?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

We will now start the study on the monitoring of the rehabilitation services contract awarded to PCVRS.

I'd like to welcome our witnesses, who I thank for being here.

We have officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs: Jane Hicks, acting senior assistant deputy minister, service delivery; Jonathan Adams, director general, finance; and Nathalie Pham, director general, field operations.

From Lifemark Health Group, we have Sonya Lockyer, president.

We're also welcoming officials from Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services: Dr. Sylvie Bourgeois, medical director, mental health; and René Deschamps, vice-president, veterans health and PCVRS contract manager.

It's a pleasure to have you here.

From WCG Services, we have Tania Bennett, chief executive officer.

Witnesses, we'll start with your opening remarks. Then we'll proceed to a series of questions from the members of the committee.

I'd like to invite the acting senior assistant deputy minister, Ms. Hicks, to speak first.

[Jane Hicks, Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery, Department of Veterans Affairs]

Good morning, Madam Chair, and thank you to the committee members for the opportunity to appear today to provide an update on the rehabilitation services contract.

My name is Jane Hicks, assistant deputy minister responsible for the service delivery branch at Veterans Affairs Canada. Joining me today are Nathalie Pham, director general of field operations, and Jonathan Adams, director general of finance.

The Veterans Affairs Canada rehabilitation and vocational assistance program plays a central role in supporting veterans and their families as they transition to civilian life.

The program offers personalized support to veterans who are ill or injured to help them overcome barriers to reintegration by providing medical, psychosocial and vocational services designed to improve their health and well-being.

It has now been over two years since VAC transitioned to a new rehabilitation service delivery model, working with Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, or PCVRS. Under the previous model, case managers coordinated services directly with individual providers. This often led to inconsistencies regionally, fragmented care and significant administrative burden to case managers.

The current model moves to a nationally coordinated, interdisciplinary approach. Rehabilitation specialists coordinate services through PCVRS, allowing VAC managers to focus on oversight, veteran support and rehabilitation outcomes. The new model also ensures standardized assessments, reporting tools and access to specialized rehabilitation expertise across the country. This is particularly important as veterans' needs become more complex, especially in the area of mental health.

Veterans have experienced changes during this transition. They continued their rehabilitation while new processes and specialists were being put in place. Our priority has been to ensure continuity of care throughout this period.

Throughout the rehabilitation journey, we have actively sought feedback from participants and monitored program outcomes. While it is still early, results are encouraging. More than 70% of participants have reported improvements in functional capacity or overall health and well-being.

At the core of this approach is teamwork. Rehabilitation services are delivered through integrated teams and consider veterans' medical, psychosocial and vocational needs together. VAC case managers, PCVRS rehabilitation service specialists, and rehabilitation service professionals work with the veteran as a coordinated team. Each discipline brings specialized expertise, and decisions are made at the appropriate level to ensure clarity, continuity and coordinated support for the veteran.

Through a partnership between Lifemark and WCG, PCVRS currently supports about 11,700 veterans across Canada. These participants, who represent about 6% of VAC's client population, have complex needs. Approximately 74% are experiencing mental health conditions alongside physical health challenges.

The needs are reflected in program spending. In 2024-25, approximately $184 million was invested in rehabilitation services, with the majority supporting psychosocial rehabilitation, followed by medical and vocational services. Importantly, these investments are delivering results. Veterans completing the program report improvements in functional capacity, overall health and well-being, and life satisfaction.

We recognize that access to services can be challenging, particularly in rural and remote communities. PCVRS continues to expand its national provider network, which now includes close to 15,000 clinicians, more than 50 Lifemark clinics and over 600 affiliate clinic locations. Approximately 30% of providers offer services in French, and efforts are ongoing to strengthen bilingual capacity. Hybrid and virtual options are being expanded where appropriate to improve access.

It is important to emphasize that VAC case managers retain full decision-making authority regarding veterans' rehabilitation plans. PCVRS provides clinical recommendations and delivers services, but it does not make independent decisions about veteran care. Outcome measures and ongoing performance monitoring allow us to identify trends, address service gaps and continually improve service delivery.

Rehabilitation is specialized and time-limited. It involves assessments, participation, services and engagement. While assessments and documentation can sometimes feel repetitive, standardized tools are used to ensure consistent and equitable decisions, and to measure progress. When veterans require ongoing care beyond rehabilitation, they continue to have access to other VAC programs, benefits and treatment services. At the core of its program, the updated rehabilitation service delivery model is built on collaboration, specialized expertise and a strong commitment to supporting the health, well-being and successful transition of those who have served Canada.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

I forgot to mention that I am the timekeeper. I have to apologize to our witnesses. I don't want to be rude, but sometimes I will have to maintain that order. Please bear with me. Look at me, and I will try to give you some insight when it's the last 30 seconds. Thank you very much.

I will now invite Ms. Lockyer to speak for five minutes, please.

[Sonya Lockyer, President, Lifemark Health Group]

I think Tania is actually going first.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Go ahead, Ms. Bennett.

[Tania Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, WCG Services]

Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the committee.

My name is Tania Bennett. I'm the CEO of WCG Services and the executive sponsor for Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, or PCVRS. I'm here today with Sonya Lockyer, CEO and president of Lifemark Health Group; René Deschamps, our PCVRS contract manager; and Dr. Sylvie Bourgeois, our medical director for PCVRS and national director of psychology and mental health services for Lifemark.

PCVRS was established to coordinate and administer the program on behalf of VAC. We are a partnership between Lifemark Health Group, a leading provider of health care assessments and rehabilitation services with over 28 years of experience, and WCG Services, a Canadian leader in the design and delivery of employment and vocational services for over 30 years. Our collaboration synergizes diverse expertise to enable a robust national framework for veterans' rehabilitation.

Our mission at PCVRS is to provide Canadian veterans and their families with best-in-class rehabilitation services, underpinned by compassionate care, dignity and respect. We support veterans' health and well-being through medical, psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation services. Through our nationwide bilingual and trauma-informed rehabilitative care, we enable improved access to quality services for Canadian veterans.

Our mandate, through the contract, includes assessing the rehabilitation potential of veterans for each of their eligible health conditions. We focus on maximizing restoration of function and providing psychosocial skills and strategies, so that participants achieve their individualized goals to improve their role performance at home, in their communities and at work.

PCVRS functions as the coordinator of rehabilitation assessment and treatment services operating within the framework and policies set forth by VAC. We deliver an interdisciplinary service, and our rehabilitation service specialists, or RSSs, play a central role. RSSs are health and vocational professionals who support veterans through developing their rehabilitation plans, coordinating services and facilitating their rehab progress. RSSs coordinate extensively with professionals who work within interprofessional programs and stepped-care models, including occupational therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and medical and vocational specialists. This integrated model supports veterans in receiving seamless care across their rehabilitation journeys. Our approach ensures that each veteran is supported by the right team of professionals, at the right time, using evidence-based rehabilitation approaches throughout assessment and treatment services.

Positive outcomes for veterans are supported through our performance and quality framework. We invite program participants to complete outcome measure surveys at three different points during their rehabilitation journey. This provides us with feedback that helps us adapt and continuously strengthen our service delivery. Since our services began, 74% of participants who completed their plan reported improved functional capacity or overall well-being, and 82% reported improved life satisfaction.

We also focus on ensuring that veterans receive timely service. In the last quarter, over 800 participants in the program received their first contact from PCVRS within an average of one business day of receiving the referral from VAC, and participants' initial rehabilitation assessments with their RSSs occurred within an average of six business days. Intake occurred within 24 days, and assessments within 33 days. Rehabilitation services began an average of 21 days after the referral was completed. PCVRS metrics stand in contrast to wait times for specialized health services that are in high demand nationally, which can extend to many months.

I will now invite my colleague Sonya to elaborate further on how PCVRS delivers timely and effective care.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

You have five minutes.

[Sonya Lockyer]

Thank you, Madam Chair and committee members.

My name is Sonya. I'm president and CEO of Lifemark Health Group. It is a privilege to be here today to discuss our collective commitment to veterans.

Before we get into questions, I thought it would be helpful to push on three points that seem to come up in questions about the program. The first one is how it's different and distinct from other programs that veterans have access to. The second is the breadth and composition of the network itself. Last but not least is the governance structure that underpins the program itself, including the ownership structure of Lifemark.

As a proud Canadian veteran myself, I know first-hand the dedication and sacrifice it takes, for all of our veteran community. It is deeply personal to me.

The unique challenges that many face transitioning into civilian life are what we focus on. This personal understanding informs our work—Lifemark's work—and fuels our collective commitment to making sure Canadian veterans receive the best possible care, tailored and individualized where possible to their specific needs and expectations.

The RSVP program is distinct from other treatment benefits that veterans have access to. It's additive to other benefits programs and is solely focused on rehabilitation and function regainment. As Jane noted, prior to RSVP, veterans, through their case manager, engaged with individual practitioners, but not in a coordinated manner where practitioners were speaking to each other and the veteran was integrated in case conferences continually and regularly. The design of the program was meant to create improved care coordination. It does focus, as many have said, on three areas of rehabilitation: medical, psychosocial and vocational. This collaborative view of the program makes it different and unique, not only in Canada but internationally.

The program is voluntary. It is designed for veterans who are really interested in taking a more intensive and team-based approach that covers the full spectrum of rehabilitation.

In terms of the breadth and composition of the PCVRS network, PCVRS was designed to be national, a network of qualified rehabilitation professionals. While Lifemark is part of that network, we represent roughly 27% of the 1,250 clinics that are available to veterans across the country. Veterans are able to access care from both Lifemark and non-Lifemark providers within the network. To put a little bit more nuance on that, of the roughly 15,000 clinicians within the network today, 12,000 are independent community practitioners. All of our service providers are required to complete VAC-approved training, including standards for veteran-centric care and trauma-informed care. Sylvie can answer questions on that, if you're interested.

Our approach ensures that care is personalized and also accountable. What that means is that we have clear administrative and reporting requirements in place, including required collaboration between care providers and participants using VAC-approved reporting templates and defined timelines for reporting.

Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to address questions regarding Lifemark's ownership structure. We are a Canadian organization. As Tania mentioned, we have 28 years of experience in delivering rehabilitation services in communities across the country. Our leadership team is Canadian. Our clinicians are Canadian. The care that we provide is delivered locally in clinics embedded within the communities we serve. The PCVRS contract was awarded in June 2021 following a competitive federal procurement process. It is one of many national rehabilitation contracts that Lifemark has the privilege of delivering.

The acquisition of Lifemark by Shoppers Drug Mart occurred in May 2022. That change in ownership did not alter the structure of the contract, nor how services are being delivered to veterans today. Clinical decision-making, professional standards and service delivery are governed by our contractual obligations with health service providers, as well as the Canadian regulatory frameworks that govern our clinical providers.

In closing, the partnership between WCG and Lifemark under PCVRS exists for one reason: to serve Canadian veterans. This network was built to provide structured, accountable and clinically grounded rehabilitation services. We understand the responsibility that comes with delivering this program. We are accountable for the outcomes. We are accountable for the stewardship of public funds. Most importantly, we are committed to continuous improvement, and in collaboration with VAC, we hope to continue on that journey.

Thank you for your time and attention today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Ms. Lockyer, thank you very much.

Thank you for your service. On behalf of all of us, I want to say thank you.

We'll have a round of questions. The first round is six minutes.

I am the clock keeper. If I have to interrupt either a member of Parliament or a witness, I apologize in advance. Everybody knows this. You also have the time beside you so that you know.

It is a six-minute round. It will start with Mr. Richards for six minutes.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

In 2023, this committee released a report on the implementation of the PCVRS contract. There were several recommendations made in that report, essentially none of which were acted upon. I would suggest that this is at the heart of how this government is failing veterans. There's a failure to listen to and act upon concerns being heard from veterans and those who serve them.

I'd like to go through some of those recommendations and see if it will enlighten us.

The first recommendation of that report is to ensure that veterans participating in the program are directly informed about the changes, how that will relate to their work with their case manager and what kinds of changes are coming their way. I think there was some initial communication and things that happened, but there's clearly a lot of confusion that continues to exist about what is and isn't available for veterans and who they work with.

I see this meeting today as a visual representation of that confusion. There are so many people at the table that they wrap around the sides of the table. I'm not even sure where to direct my questions. You can only imagine how a veteran must feel when they don't have a clue who they're supposed to go to and who's in charge of what. That seems to be the problem.

I'll start with Veterans Affairs.

Are veterans supposed, under this contract, to be able to work with the service provider they wish to work with, whether an existing provider or a new provider they like? Are they supposed to be able to engage with the service provider of their choice, or is it mandated who they work with, under this contract?

[Jane Hicks]

Madam Chair, there are a couple of things.

The model differs a bit from the previous arrangement we had in place. We have a rehabilitation team in place that looks at the needs and the requirements of the particular veteran, and then we match the veteran with a provider based on those circumstances. It's not a provider of choice, as per Medavie Blue Cross in the past.

With respect to treatment, veterans are able to maintain the treatment providers they have in place, provided that there is a clinical need to do so. In many instances, they do keep those providers.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

It doesn't really line up with what we're hearing from veterans. There was a really good article in the Toronto Star over the weekend that highlights all of this, but we certainly hear it all the time.

This is for PCVRS or whoever thinks it's appropriate to answer.

We hear all kinds of reports of veterans saying that they're being forced to try to work with people within your network. They say that they want to work with the person they were working with before. They feel that they're being pressured and forced to make a decision to go somewhere else, and they don't feel comfortable with it. Is that happening, and is it supposed to be happening?

[René Deschamps, Vice-President, Veterans Health and PCVRS Contract Manager, Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services]

The direction from PCVRS is that every provider is encouraged to join the network. PCVRS providers, RSPs, have to complete VAC-approved mandatory training, as well as agree to utilize the VAC-approved report templates and agree to the reporting frequency, and they have to utilize the portal for secure exchange of information. If the participant's existing provider is unwilling to join the PCVRS network, then yes, they may be asked to switch to a PCVRS-trained clinician.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Okay. Well, I can tell you that there seems to be a lot of confusion around this and there seems to be a lot of concern around this. I would suggest to both organizations here today that you need to do better in this regard.

Let me turn to the second recommendation of that report. It was essentially indicating to the government that they need to maintain regular communication with the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees and make sure they're consulted before making changes to programs of this nature. I know that the union expressed a lot of concerns about the confusion they had when this contract was implemented. I believe they would probably still tell you that, if they were here today. Certainly, we've heard that in relation to the cuts being made at the Bureau of Pensions Advocates and how they were not consulted by Veterans Affairs prior to those cuts being made, cuts that will massively impact veterans.

I guess I don't even know what question to ask in regard to that recommendation, because it's clearly not happening. Does anyone want to suggest otherwise?

[Jane Hicks]

I can tell you that there is regular and ongoing communication with the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees. Certainly I and my predecessor, Mr. Steven Harris, meet regularly, at least monthly, with the union. We've also had working groups where we've engaged the union to make service improvements.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

It's interesting, because that's not the story we heard from them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Mr. Richards.

I will now pass the floor for six minutes to Mr. Casey.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I didn't intend to go there, Ms. Hicks, but I think you probably need the full six minutes to respond to Mr. Richards' assertion that the 10 recommendations made in the 2023 report of this committee have not been adhered to. Let's work through them.

The first recommendation was that VAC “directly inform veterans about the changes resulting from the new contract”. Have you done that?

[Jane Hicks]

Yes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

I think you have responded to the one with respect to the Union of Veterans' Affairs Employees.

The third was this: “That veterans, VAC employees and service providers be informed of any change to the delivery of rehabilitation services.” Have you done that?

[Jane Hicks]

Yes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

This was the fourth one: “That VAC commit to meeting regularly with the veterans, advocates, and experts who make up the ministerial advisory groups.”

[Jane Hicks]

We have met with the advisory groups periodically.