2024-2025 Operating Context
The Board is an independent tribunal providing an avenue for Veterans to appeal disability benefits decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). The Board provides a fair and independent appeal process for Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members, and their families.
The Board ensures that Veterans receive their legal entitlements for disabilities related to service. To do this, it offers two levels of appeal for disability benefits decisions: a review hearing; and, if the Veteran remains dissatisfied, a subsequent appeal hearing.
The Chairperson, appointed by the Governor in Council, serves as the Board’s Chief Executive Officer and reports to Parliament through the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Board may have up to 25 full-time Members, including the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. Members are appointed through an open, transparent, and merit-based Governor in Council selection process.
Workload
The Board’s operating environment is directly influenced by the nature and volume of applications. The workload is primarily correlated with the workload of the Bureau of Pensions Advocates (BPA). BPA’s caseload flows from VAC’s volume of decisions issued, which has increased greatly in recent years due to increased funding and initiatives to reduce the backlog.
To ensure Veterans and their families obtain timely access to the benefits to which they are entitled, the Board continues to evaluate its operating procedures and processes, and ensure the necessary resources are in place to support its program. In 2023, the Board put forward a request for additional resources to help address the increased workload, and was successful in obtaining temporary and permanent funding towards this objective. Looking ahead, the Board will continue to focus on maintaining this enhanced capacity to hold hearings and issue decisions.
Human Resources
The Board relies on its staff and Members to deliver a fair and timely appeal process for Veterans and their families. As workload demands continue to grow in both volume and complexity, the Board must ensure it has the right people, resources, and skillsets in place to deliver its mandate.
The Board’s four strategic priorities — Access to Justice, Productivity, Innovation, and People — and the goals and objectives that support them guide human resources planning and activities. This includes appointing qualified Members who reflect Canada’s diversity and linguistic duality, and providing them with ongoing training to support consistent, high-quality decision-making. It also includes expanding position-specific training for staff, enhancing internal development opportunities, and strengthening the use of performance feedback to support continuous learning.
Recruitment efforts focus on attracting and retaining bilingual personnel and individuals with key skills and experience. At the same time, the Board invests in leadership development for existing staff through targeted training and career growth opportunities. Together, these efforts support a more capable, inclusive, and resilient workforce equipped to meet the needs of Veterans and their families.