Feds to pay vets upfront for housekeeping, groundskeeping
Posted Apr 3, 2012 10:52:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Changes to the Veterans Independence Program will allow members to receive upfront payments from the federal government for housekeeping and groundskeeping work.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs announced the changes to VIP at the Royal Canadian Legion, Somme Branch 031 in Dartmouth this morning before a packed house of men and women in uniform.
“We will pay them in advance, instead of having to send a receipt and then wait to be paid, and having to do this once a week, twice a week,” Stephen Blaney told reporters following the announcement.
Under the new system, members will be assessed annually based on their needs. They will receive a cheque for half the amount of the federal grant upon completion of the assessment and the second half six months later.
Under the current system, VIP members must submit each receipt they receive for housekeeping or grounds keeping work and wait for reimbursement, with cheques being dispersed on an item-by-item basis.
Blaney explains the average member may submit 40 receipts and receive 40 reimbursement cheques annually under the current system.
Legion Service Officer Hank Einarson helps veterans become VIP members, and assists current members. He said the change is welcome.
“Sometimes I would get complaints from couples when I visited them that before they got any reimbursement they’d be $300 and $400 out of pocket by the time they send anything over to Charlottetown,” said Einarson.
Speaking to other veterans, there is a mixed opinion.
The legion’s first vice president said he’s heard people have lukewarm feelings about the changes.
“Some of the people I’d talked to, their reaction was so-so,” said John Snow. “They say getting the cheque every month is better than getting the lump sum every year.”
VIP members will be getting a letter in the mail advising them of the changes to the program and of their upcoming assessments this summer. The changes are due to take effect in the fall.
