Funding cuts at veterans' legal bureau could delay hundreds of appeal hearings

A union says temporary funding for the Bureau of Pension Advocates will expire, cutting about 96 term positions including 24 lawyers and leaving 300 hearings planned for April unscheduled.

A federal union warns the Bureau of Pension Advocates (BPA), which represents veterans and RCMP members in disability appeals, will lose a large portion of its temporary staff as funding expires. The positions were added after Budget 2023 to reduce a backlog of appeals. The union says the end of that temporary funding will remove 96 term positions, including 24 lawyers, and that 300 hearings planned for April will not be scheduled. Veterans Affairs Canada says the temporary funding will sunset and the BPA is transitioning back to permanent funding levels. Key details: - Temporary funding for the BPA is reported to end on March 31, 2026, and the bureau is transitioning to steady-state operations. - The union reports 96 term positions, including 24 lawyers, will be cut when temporary funding expires. - The Public Service Alliance of Canada says 300 hearings planned for April would not be scheduled as a result of the cuts. - The Veterans Review and Appeal Board reported a 40% increase in applications last year, and Veterans Affairs Canada reported it missed its 16-week service standard for disability decisions more than half the time. Summary: The reported cuts are expected to reduce the BPA's temporary legal and support capacity and are described by union representatives as likely to lengthen appeals and increase backlogs. Veterans Affairs Canada has stated the temporary funding will sunset and that the BPA will standardize processes and examine service modernization as it returns to permanent funding levels. The specific operational effects on individual appeals and exact timelines for any further changes are undetermined at this time.