Canada

More than three years have passed since Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) agreed to ease up restrictions on access to mental health services for the families of troubled soldiers, sailors and aircrew — and the country's veterans ombudsperson says very little has changed in that time.

Nishika Jardine released a new retrospective report on Wednesday that presents a snapshot of her office's recommendations in several reports over the years, and evaluates whether they have been implemented or not.

Four years ago, CBC News profiled a handful of veterans' families whose mental health coverage had been denied or restricted, mostly because of policy changes at VAC.

In 2021, the veterans watchdog released a report which called on the federal government to "ensure that family members, including former spouses, survivors and dependent children, have access to federal government funded mental health treatment in their own right," and to ensure their access does not depend on whether the veteran was in treatment.