The disability benefits system through Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is one of the most important programs available to Canadian veterans — and one of the most confusing to navigate. If you’ve been putting off starting a claim because you didn’t know where to begin, this is for you.
This is a plain-language walkthrough. No jargon. No assumptions about what you already know.
What Are VAC Disability Benefits?
Veterans Affairs Canada provides financial support to veterans who have a disability — physical or mental — that is directly related to or permanently aggravated by their military service. This includes conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, hearing loss, chronic pain, back injuries, and many others.
The main program is the Pension for Life, which includes three components: Pain and Suffering Compensation (PSC), Income Replacement Benefit (IRB), and Career Impact Allowance (CIA). Depending on your situation, you may qualify for one or all three.
Step 1 — Start With the Right Form
The first step is filing a Disability Benefits First Application (VAC Form PEN923). This is the official form that opens your claim. You can file it online through My VAC Account, by mail, or in person at a VAC service office.
On this form, you’ll list each condition you’re claiming, describe how it’s connected to your military service, and provide basic personal and service information. You don’t need to have all your documentation ready before you file — but the earlier you file, the earlier your effective date, which affects retroactive payment.
Step 2 — Authorize VAC to Collect Your Records
VAC will need your service health records and civilian medical records. You’ll need to sign a Consent to Collect Personal Information from Third Parties (VAC Form 928). This authorizes VAC to request records directly from your doctors, hospitals, and the Department of National Defence.
If you want someone — a navigator, a service bureau, a family member — to communicate with VAC on your behalf, you’ll also need to file a Form 664 — Appointment of Representative. This is not required, but it’s useful if you need help managing the process.
Step 3 — Get Your Doctor to Complete the Medical Questionnaire
For most mental health conditions, VAC will send your treating psychiatrist or psychologist a Psychiatric/Psychological Medical Questionnaire (Form PEN6248f). This is a detailed form where your doctor documents the diagnosis, severity, and connection to service.
This step is often where applications stall. The form can sit in a clinic’s inbox for months if nobody follows up. You are allowed — and encouraged — to contact your doctor’s office to confirm receipt and check the status. A polite follow-up letter helps. If your doctor needs help understanding what VAC is asking, a navigator can assist with that.
Step 4 — Wait, Follow Up, and Track Everything
Once your application is submitted and your forms are in, VAC typically takes 16 weeks to process a first application. That’s four months. During that time, keep copies of everything you’ve submitted, note dates, and follow up through My VAC Account or by phone if you hit the 16-week mark without a decision.
If your claim is denied, you have the right to request a reconsideration. At that stage, having additional medical evidence — or formal representation — becomes more important.
Common Mistakes That Delay Claims
- Waiting until you feel “ready.” File as soon as you have a diagnosis, even if the documentation isn’t complete. Your effective date starts when you file, not when VAC approves.
- Not following up on Form PEN6248f. Doctors are busy. This form does not always get completed without a reminder.
- Missing the Form 928. Without it, VAC can’t collect your records on your behalf, which slows everything down.
- Underdocumenting the service connection. The link between your condition and your service needs to be clearly stated — by you and by your doctor. Vague descriptions lead to denials.
- Not keeping copies. VAC misplaces documents. It happens. Keep everything.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
The application itself is free. Getting help navigating it doesn’t have to cost you anything either — VAC-accredited service bureaus like the Royal Canadian Legion provide free advocacy services. If you want personalized, one-on-one help organizing your documents, following up with your care team, and understanding the process, that’s what I do as a Benefits Navigation Consultant.
You earned these benefits. The system is complicated by design. Getting through it is not a sign of weakness — it’s strategy.
EJ MacKenzie is a Benefits Navigation Consultant and Veterans Affairs Advocate based in Ontario, Canada. Services are not legal representation, formal advocacy before government bodies, therapy, or medical advice.