Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. My name is Fardous Hosseiny, and I serve as the president and CEO of the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. It is a privilege to join you today to speak about suicide, a subject with very real and immediate consequences for veterans, families and communities across Canada.
Atlas is a federally funded intermediary working at arm's length from Veterans Affairs Canada to strengthen mental health supports for veterans and their families. We collaborate with veterans, families, researchers and service providers to codevelop practical, evidence-informed resources. We also lead and fund research to build national capacity by supporting new knowledge, skills and networks so that organizations across Canada are better equipped to serve veterans and families.
Suicide among veterans is a serious and persistent challenge. Male veterans are about 1.4 times more likely to die by suicide compared to civilian men, and female veterans about twice as likely as civilian women. For men, the highest risk is often in the first four years after release, while for women, risk peaks much later, often around 20 years post-service.
While veteran-specific data remains limited, CAF reported that in 2023, there were 17 suicide deaths among regular force members and four among reservists. The suicide rate in the regular force that year was about 27 per 100,000 person-years, higher than in 2022. These figures show suicide prevention requires long-horizon planning and sustained support across the veteran life course.
I'll now pass it along to my colleague Gabby Dupuis, director of research partnerships and government affairs.