Thank you for your service. We can help with what comes next.
We provide free, veteran-led, trauma-informed navigation and referral support for Canadian Armed Forces veterans, serving members approaching release, medically released members, families, caregivers, and survivors.
Some listed programs may also apply to former RCMP members. Start with one small step — we can help you organize the issue, understand possible pathways, and identify what to gather next.
You are in the right place
Confusion with forms, evidence, decisions, and overlapping programs is common. It is not a personal failure.
Start with what is happening for you
VANCA’s self-service information and educational tools are available across Canada. Personalized navigation requests may be submitted from anywhere in Canada and are considered case by case, subject to organizational capacity.
I need help now
If you are in immediate danger or crisis, reach 911 or 988 right away. View VANCA’s urgent-support and crisis contact information.
I’m preparing for release or transition
Use the Veterans Transition Roadmap to understand the sequence of benefits, paperwork and decisions around medical or normal release.
I’m helping a Veteran or family member
Start with what is happening for them — choose a situation and we will help identify possible programs and next steps.
I’m a spouse, caregiver, survivor or family member
Explore caregiver, survivor, home-support and family benefits, and request navigation support in your own words.
What We Can Do
We help you understand what is in front of you and sort out what to do next. The responsible organization always makes the decision — we do not.
We can help you:
- Explain benefit and service information in plain language
- Identify programs that may be worth exploring
- Help organize questions, records, deadlines, and next steps
- Help you understand decision letters
- Explain review, appeal, reassessment, and referral pathways
- Identify external organizations that may be a better fit
- Provide plain-language educational resources
- Record anonymized recurring system barriers to support reform
What we don't do:
- Make eligibility decisions
- Guarantee approval
- Assign disability percentages
- Diagnose or treat conditions
- Provide crisis response
- Provide unauthorized legal representation
- Give individualized tax or financial advice
- Impersonate a client or access a client's government account
- Replace an accredited representative or responsible professional
You remain in control of your information and decisions. We explain options and help organize possible next steps without pressure.
Start with what is happening
You do not need to know the name of a benefit before you begin. Choose what fits your situation, and we will help you find possible programs and next steps.
I need treatment or health support
Explore treatment coverage, mental health services, prescriptions, dental care, equipment, and rehabilitation.
ExploreI am preparing a disability claim
Learn what evidence may help explain the condition, service relationship, and present-day impact.
ExploreMy income or benefits have changed
Explore VAC income benefits, SISIP, CPP Disability, tax programs, and emergency assistance.
ExploreI need support at home or with caregiving
Explore home assistance, independence, caregiver, and long-term-care programs.
ExploreI am considering education or employment
Explore education funding, rehabilitation, retraining, and career-transition programs.
ExploreI received a decision I do not understand
Learn how to read the decision, identify the issue, and explore review or appeal options.
ExploreSee the whole transition path
Leaving the military can involve many systems moving at once. The Veterans Transition Roadmap shows what may need attention before release, around release day and during the first two years afterward.
Does this sound familiar?
We support veterans and families at all stages — especially when it is hard to know where to start.
Medically released and not sure where to begin?
Received a decision from VAC, SISIP, or CPP-D and unsure what it means?
A family member or caregiver helping a veteran through the process?
You do not have to explain everything perfectly. Send us a message and we will help you find a next step.
How support works
Five steps. You start with what you know — we walk the rest of the way with you.
Request received
You tell us what is happening in your own words. You do not need to know the program name or have every document organized.
Initial review
We review the general issue, important dates, service boundaries, consent and whether VANCA currently has capacity to assist.
Written next-step information
Where VANCA can assist, we provide plain-language information identifying possible pathways, questions to ask, documents to gather and official sources to consult.
Referral or handoff
With your consent, VANCA may identify or contact an appropriate external organization. A referral is not complete until the receiving organization confirms whether it can assist.
Follow-up or closure
Where capacity permits, VANCA may follow up to clarify the next step, record whether a referral was accepted and close or update the navigation request.
Submitting a request does not create a lawyer-client, healthcare-provider, financial-adviser, accredited-representative, formal case-management or emergency-service relationship.
Learn at Your Own Pace
Whether you're preparing for release, learning about Veterans Affairs Canada benefits, gathering medical evidence, or simply looking for answers, our Knowledge Centre provides plain-language guides, checklists, downloadable resources, and educational content to help you better understand the system.
Medical Release
Phases, records, health coverage and transition planning.
Benefits
Understanding VAC, CRA, and provincial programs.
Claims & Evidence
Tools and guides for applications.
Health & Wellness
OSI clinics, treatment pathways and daily functioning.
Education & Employment
ETB, career transition and rehabilitation.
Getting Started
First steps, document folders and next routes.
Featured Knowledge
Clear explanations, verified sources and practical next steps.
Latest Knowledge
View all Knowledge UpdatesOne Veteran, One Standard: Where the Campaign Stands in 2026
The push to unify the Pension Act and Veterans Well-being Act has gained traction in Parliament. Here is the latest on what allies are advancing, and how VANCA is supporting the work.
Understanding a VAC Decision: What the Letter Actually Says
When a decision comes back assessed lower than expected or unclear, it can be discouraging. This article explains how to read a VAC decision letter and what options may exist next.
SISIP and Income Security: Understanding the Current Landscape
SISIP LTD operates under insurance industry rules. This article examines how this structure affects medically released veterans and what reform options are being discussed.
Describing Functional Limitations: Language That Helps Your Claim
How you describe your daily limitations matters. VAC and CRA use specific terminology. This article explains how to describe your experience in language that reflects the full impact.
Benefits for Families and Caregivers: An Overview
Caregivers supporting veterans carry a significant load. This article outlines VAC caregiver benefits, recognition programs, and other pathways available to families.
Find veteran support centres near you
Our interactive map shows VAC offices, OSI clinics, MFRCs, Legion branches, peer support organizations, and legal advocacy resources across Canada — searchable by province, city, and type.
These are external organizations. VANCA does not provide these services directly, but we can help you understand which may be the right fit.
Connecting people to established services
VANCA identifies and explains external veteran, disability, legal, health, housing, family and community resources. Organizations displayed in the Support Map or Resource Library are independent services. Listing does not imply partnership or endorsement unless the relationship is specifically identified.
Explore the Support Map