Veterans Affairs

This House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs meeting studied the monitoring of the rehabilitation services contract awarded to Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS). Appearing were Jane Hicks, Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Service Delivery at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC); Sonya Lockyer, President of Lifemark Health Group; Tania Bennett, CEO of WCG Services; René Deschamps, Vice-President of Veterans Health and PCVRS Contract Manager; Nathalie Pham, Director General of Field Operations at VAC; and Sylvie Bourgeois, Medical Director of Mental Health at PCVRS.

Jane Hicks explained that the new PCVRS model replaced a fragmented, regionally inconsistent system with a nationally coordinated, interdisciplinary approach, reducing administrative burden on case managers and improving outcomes, with over 70% of participants reporting improved functional capacity. She noted that VAC case managers retain full decision-making authority over rehabilitation plans, and that the program is voluntary, though participation is tied to income replacement benefits. Hicks acknowledged challenges in rural and remote areas and said efforts to expand the provider network and bilingual capacity are ongoing.

Tania Bennett described PCVRS as a partnership between Lifemark and WCG that coordinates medical, psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation for about 11,700 veterans, with 74% of participants reporting improved functional capacity and 82% reporting improved life satisfaction. She highlighted that initial contact with veterans occurs within one business day of referral and that rehabilitation services begin an average of 21 days after referral, contrasting these timelines with longer national wait times for specialized health services.

Sonya Lockyer emphasized that the RSVP program is distinct from other treatment benefits, focusing on coordinated, team-based rehabilitation rather than individual, uncoordinated care. She noted that Lifemark represents about 27% of the 1,250 clinics in the PCVRS network, with 12,000 of the 15,000 clinicians being independent community practitioners, and that all providers must complete VAC-approved training. Lockyer addressed concerns about Lifemark’s ownership by Shoppers Drug Mart, stating that the acquisition did not alter the contract or service delivery, and that clinical decisions are governed by contractual obligations and Canadian regulatory frameworks.

René Deschamps stated that existing providers are encouraged to join the PCVRS network, but if they are unwilling to complete mandatory training and use VAC-approved templates, veterans may be asked to switch to a PCVRS-trained clinician. He later clarified that reporting frequency for progress reports was reduced from four to eight weeks for phys med and from eight to 12 weeks for med psychosocial in response to provider feedback.

Nathalie Pham reported that since the PCVRS contract began, case managers have seen a 25% increase in direct contact with veterans because administrative tasks like coordinating providers and billing have been shifted to PCVRS. She acknowledged that while some dissatisfaction exists, the program has improved case managers’ ability to focus on veteran support.

Sylvie Bourgeois detailed that mandatory training for providers covers military culture, trauma-informed care, mental health, suicide prevention and data management, with ongoing training and resources available. She explained that the program uses clinical pathways to support veterans at different stages of rehabilitation, from high-needs stabilization to community reintegration, and that assessments focus on functional improvement rather than disability awards.

During questioning, several Conservative members argued that veterans are being pressured to switch providers and that the program is not truly voluntary, citing reports of benefits being used as leverage. Hicks responded that threatening a veteran is unacceptable and that any such incidents should be escalated, but reiterated that participation in rehabilitation is required for income replacement benefits under VAC legislation. Conservative members also noted a drop in program participants from 14,377 to 12,554 between 2021 and 2024, with Lockyer attributing this to a two-year implementation period and a steady state of about 300 new entrants per month. Liberal members highlighted improvements in national consistency, standardized assessments and reduced administrative burden, while the Bloc Québécois pressed for more resources and performance indicators to address the needs of veterans who are not satisfied. The committee heard a notice of motion from Marie-Hélène Gaudreau to add at least three additional meetings to hear more witnesses, including health professionals and veterans, on the PCVRS program.