Veterans Affairs slow to approve assistance for ill, injured ex-soldiers
OTTAWA — Canada’s Veterans Affairs Department has been struggling to process requests for assistance from ill and injured ex-soldiers in a timely manner, with many having to wait more than four months to find out if they qualify, documents show.
Internal reports obtained by The Canadian Press indicate that just over half of veterans who applied for disability benefits between April and July last year received a decision within 16 weeks.
Officials says processing times have been sped up, but the department is still falling short of its own targets and leaving hundreds of ill and injured veterans in limbo for months on end.
Many are struggling with mental-health injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder.