Spotlight 2026: Progress Made — and Questions Still Waiting for Answers
The Office of the Veterans Ombud has released its latest progress update on recommendations made to Veterans Affairs Canada. Some important work is underway. Other recommendations remain outstanding. We think the next conversation should include the people living with those issues.
The Office of the Veterans Ombud released Spotlight 2026 in September 2026. Spotlight tracks progress by Veterans Affairs Canada in responding to recommendations intended to address systemic unfairness affecting CAF and RCMP Veterans and their families.
There is progress worth recognizing.
According to the Office of the Veterans Ombud, work is underway concerning recommendations related to VAC’s internal review process. Permanent funding has also been established for the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program.
But several recommendations remain outstanding.
Among the issues highlighted by the Ombud:
- Mental-health treatment benefits for Veterans’ family members in their own right when their need is connected to military service;
- Reducing the burden of care carried by Veterans’ live-in relatives;
- Provisions concerning the remaining value of Pain and Suffering Compensation following the death of certain single Veterans without dependent children.
The family mental-health recommendation is particularly notable. The Ombud reports that this is the fifth consecutive year the Government has been asked to implement this recommendation, following the original 2021 systemic review.
A recommendation can look very different when you’re the person living it.
Reports tell us that a systemic issue exists.
Veterans and families can help us understand what that issue actually looks like in everyday life.
- Did you know a review was available?
- Could you understand the decision letter?
- Did you know where to ask for help?
- Has a family member struggled to access mental-health support connected with your service?
- Has someone in your household become an informal caregiver?
- Did administrative requirements become harder because of PTSD, cognitive impairment, pain, fatigue or another disability?
These experiences matter.
They can help identify the difference between a program existing on paper and being accessible in practice.
The Issues Behind This Report
Each recommendation we’re following from Spotlight 2026 has its own page, with the latest status, what has changed, and what remains unresolved.
Permanent funding for the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program
According to the Office of the Veterans Ombud's Spotlight 2026, permanent funding has been established for the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program — progress worth recognizing.
VAC internal review process improvements
Following the Office of the Veterans Ombud's systemic review of VAC's internal review process, Spotlight 2026 reports that work is underway on the related recommendations.
Remaining value of Pain and Suffering Compensation after the death of certain single Veterans
The Office of the Veterans Ombud has raised provisions concerning the remaining value of the Pain and Suffering Compensation (PSC) following the death of certain single Veterans without dependent children. Spotlight 2026 reports these provisions remain outstanding.
Reducing the burden of care carried by Veterans' live-in relatives
The Office of the Veterans Ombud has raised the unpaid, often invisible care provided by Veterans' live-in relatives. According to Spotlight 2026, recommendations to reduce this burden of care remain outstanding.
Mental-health treatment benefits for Veterans' family members in their own right
According to the Office of the Veterans Ombud, the recommendation to let eligible family members access mental-health treatment benefits in their own right, when their need is connected to the Veteran's service, remains outstanding. Spotlight 2026 marks the fifth consecutive year this has been raised.
Sources & Further Reading
Official source
Spotlight 2026: Progress Update on OVO Recommendations to Veterans Affairs Canada
Office of the Veterans Ombud
Read the original on Veterans OmbudThis VANCA page is a plain-language summary. It is not an official government publication, and VANCA commentary is not an official finding. Please consult the Office of the Veterans Ombud’s official Spotlight materials for the complete report.
Official source
Facts and status statements taken directly from the cited report or organization.
VANCA explanation
Our plain-language interpretation. VANCA commentary is not an official government finding.
Community experience
Anonymized, aggregate input from Veterans and families, published only after review.