By Canadian Press

Injured vets filing claims faster than officials can process them despite extra staff

Aug 4, 2021 | 10:50 AM

OTTAWA — New figures from Veterans Affairs Canada show that despite adding hundreds of staff, injured ex-soldiers are still submitting claims for disability benefits faster than officials are processing them.

That is threatening to undo what little progress the government has made in reducing the backlog of claims, which currently sits at more than 43,000 applications.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay says he remains hopeful the extra staff will make a dent on the pile of outstanding claims.

But Canada War Amps executive director Brian Forbes, who is also chair of the National Council of Veterans Associations, argues the new figures underscore the need for real change in how such claims are handled.

Forbes and others have been calling for years for Veterans Affairs to automatically approve claims, particularly for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological trauma.

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The government has said it is looking at such an approach, which is used in some circumstances by Australia and the United States, but has yet to offer any details.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2021.

The Canadian Press