$15-million investment to help with hiring, onboarding, retention of veterans
The federal government is investing more than $15 million over three years through the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund (VFWF) to help veterans transition to employment after their military service.
“We often talk about the importance of supporting veterans after their service, but real support means investing in their future. Every year, more than 8,000 service members leave the military, ready to bring their leadership, discipline, and resilience to new careers,” said Darren Fisher, minister of Veterans Affairs and associate minister of National Defence.
“Employers are always looking for skilled, dedicated people, and veterans are exactly that. That’s why our government is making this investment. Connecting veterans with meaningful employment isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s smart for Canada. True Patriot Love has been a leader in this space, and I’m proud to support their work as another recipient of the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund.”
In mid-2024, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) unveiled its Service after Service: The National Veterans Employment Strategy, based on consultations with more than 1,200 veterans and stakeholders.
From the new funding, the federal government is allocating $910,000 for True Patriot Love, which will create a national network of veteran-ready employers, helping to improve recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and retention practices across Canada.
“True Patriot Love Foundation recognizes the tremendous skills and talent of our military members and veterans, but also that they can face challenges finding the right new role when the time comes to leave the Armed Forces,” said Nick Booth, CEO, True Patriot Love Canada.
The new fund will allow the organization “to pilot ways of strengthening hiring and transition support with employers across Canada,” he said, and help veterans succeed in their new careers.
True Patriot Love is a Canadian foundation for the military community, working to support military members, Veterans, and their families at every stage of their journey.
There were 97,625 Canadians serving in the CAF in the spring of 2021—as members of the Regular Force or Primary Reserve Force—and 461,240 Canadians counted as veterans, according to Statistics Canada.
More than four in 10 veterans were seniors aged 65 years and older, while almost one-third were in the core working age group of 25 to 54 years.
Budget 2024 proposed an additional $6 million over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to VAC for the VFWF to provide funding to private, public, and academic organizations to advance research projects and innovative approaches that deliver services to veterans and their families. Specifically, there is $3 million per year base funding, plus an additional $2 million per year from 2024-2025 to 2026-2027, for a total of $15 million in funding over the 3 years.
Grants may be provided up to $500,000 per fiscal year for a maximum of three years, while contributions may be provided up to $1,000,000 per fiscal year for a maximum of three years.
The federal government is accepting applications for funding under the VFWF from the following:
Between 2018 and 2023, the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund has awarded $42.6 million in funding for 123 initiatives.
In November 2024, Ontario introduced Honouring Veterans Act, 2024 to reduce the impact of frequent moves on military spouses. The legislation proposes changes to accelerate credential recognition for veterans and military spouses who are regulated professionals from other provinces and relocating to Ontario.
