2024 Annual Report2024 Annual Report

Your Donation in Action

Every donation from the public supports our life‑changing work for amputees. We do not receive government grants.

Advocating for All Amputees

The War Amps advocates for the rights and interests of all Canadian amputees and works on behalf of individual amputees who have encountered discrimination or red tape in accessing care, important financial benefits and legal rights.

Advocating for improvements to the Canada Disability Benefit

In late 2023 and throughout 2024, The War Amps provided well‑researched and detailed input to the federal government regarding proposed regulations for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), a new financial program for people with disabilities experiencing poverty. Our goal was to ensure that these vulnerable individuals would receive appropriate financial assistance that recognizes the additional burdens and costs people with disabilities, especially amputees, face every day.

As the national voice for amputees in Canada, we were extremely disappointed that the federal government has yet to address key concerns raised by us and other disability groups. Currently, the funding that will become available is only $2,400 a year per person, or $200 per month, which is not nearly enough to cover daily living costs, let alone the expensive artificial limbs that amputees need to walk or dress themselves.

“Empowering Canadians living with disabilities requires bold action. To truly support those with disabilities made vulnerable by poverty, the government must significantly increase funding for the CDB to make a meaningful difference.”

Annelise Petlock, Director, General Counsel and Member Programs for The War Amps

The War Amps argued that, in its current form, the CDB’s scope is too wide as it includes those who can earn an income through employment or self‑employment. The most vulnerable should be prioritized by setting the eligibility income levels lower, allowing the CDB to pay more to those at a lesser income. If the government’s goal is to reduce poverty, we feel the benefit should focus on those who are actually experiencing poverty and not those who are able to make a moderate income.

Another point of contention in our advocacy work was the government’s proposal to use the federal Disability Tax Credit to determine eligibility, even though it serves a completely different purpose than the CDB. We put forward a more effective and fair solution – adopt a presumptive approval model based on a person’s access to provincial or territorial income support programs.

If someone has jumped through the many hurdles to access these programs, they should be presumed to be both disabled and living in poverty, which means they should be eligible for the CDB. This new benefit is an important opportunity for the federal government to make real, lasting change and help people with disabilities living below the poverty line. However, at this stage, the proposed regulations will fail those most in need. We will continue to advocate for these individuals and watch the situation closely as the benefit goes into effect in 2025.

Navigating insurance denials and issues for our members

Part of our advocacy work is to educate insurers and provincial health‑care agencies on the reality of living with an amputation and the costs associated with artificial limbs. While we advocate for all Canadian amputees, our efforts mainly focus on specific cases that will act as landmark decisions and have rippling positive effects for many other amputees across the country.

This year, we assisted with and won several insurance cases for our members. One case of note involved a 73‑year‑old above‑knee amputee who received a denial from their province’s health‑care program for a medically necessary artificial limb with a microprocessor‑controlled knee unit costing $30,491. Due to this person’s amputation type and age, it was crucial they receive this limb to avoid dangerous and life‑threatening falls, which this knee unit can help avoid. The War Amps got involved with the case and, through our efforts, the province agreed to cover the entire cost of the artificial limb. This sets an important precedent in Canada as one of the first times a province has fully funded this type of limb.

We also assisted with the case of a 53‑year‑old below‑knee amputee who needed a new everyday artificial leg. When the claim was made to their insurance, the insurer sent a letter asking for additional information on why an artificial limb with a microprocessor‑controlled knee unit was needed. As a below‑knee amputee, this member did not need a knee unit. We have found it’s not uncommon for insurers to misunderstand amputation and cause unnecessary delays like this, which can discourage amputees from continuing with a claim and can ultimately lead to continued health issues as they go without their prescribed limb. We provided an educational letter to the insurer about below‑knee amputees and are happy to report that they re‑evaluated the claim and approved the full amount, less provincial funding, towards this member’s artificial limb.

A recent advocacy win involving a 32‑year‑old below‑elbow amputee was another precedent‑setting case for The War Amps. The public may not realize that several insurers refuse to allow direct billing for artificial limbs, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This means that even if the cost will be reimbursed later, our members have to pay out of pocket, which few can afford to do. This was the case with this amputee, who, as a parent with young children, struggled financially each time they needed prosthetic care. The War Amps went to bat for this member, and after multiple phone calls and added pressure, the insurance company agreed to direct bill their prosthetic clinic. This marks our first win regarding assignment of benefits and is an exciting step forward to resolving a troubling issue.

Providing funding for the most vulnerable

Covering the costs of daily life like housing and food, which are already high and only increasing, can be a challenge for many Canadians. When an amputation and the many costs associated with it are added on, it can be devastating if an individual is already struggling financially. That’s why, through our Advocacy Program, members can apply if they are experiencing extreme financial hardship and are unable to afford prosthetic care or specialized aids and modifications, and we assist the most critical cases when specific criteria are met. This year, we supported 65 adult amputees above and beyond our standard funding – which we have drastically increased this year across the board – totalling $253,681.

The War Amps provided assistance to a 70‑year‑old left below‑knee and partial right foot amputee this year who was in dire need after not receiving proper prosthetic care following their amputations in 2022. They couldn’t afford the travel costs to go to appointments, so in January, we stepped in to cover these expenses. We also connected them with a prosthetist, and they were fit with their first artificial limb and referred to an amputee rehabilitation program. Later, the member needed custom shoes to protect their partial foot, which was too expensive for them to afford; we also covered this cost.

Another case of note involved a 69‑year‑old below‑knee amputee who lost their leg due to diabetes and was struggling financially. This member was required to attend several physiotherapy and rehabilitation appointments before being fit for their first artificial limb. Unfortunately, they were unable to go because they live in a remote area far from the clinics with no access to public transportation and were not able to drive without vehicle modifications. We approved their funding request for the costs needed to attend their medical appointments and covered $1,940 towards vehicle modifications to help them get back on the road to independence.

The Key Tag Service

The Key Tag Service began in 1946 after the Second World War, launching a key return service that would prove to be a valuable aid to Canadians. War Amps members from the First World War started the service to create jobs for the returning amputee veterans and to generate revenue for the Association, which in turn funded our programs and raised awareness of The War Amps efforts.

Today, Canadians continue to benefit from this public service, with more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys returned to their owners, including expensive-to-replace car fobs. In 2024, The War Amps Key Tag Service returned 5,606 sets of lost keys to their owners by courier – for free! To this day, the Key Tag Service in Scarborough, Ontario, continues to operate as a sheltered workshop for people with disabilities.

Our Work for Veterans

The War Amps continues to be the leader in advocating for veterans’ rights and legislation, as well as the driving force behind the National Council of Veteran Associations in Canada (NCVA). With more than 100 years of experience in this area, we are represented on four of the six ministerial advisory groups to Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), co‑chairing two of these committees.

Priority advocacy areas in 2024

Afghanistan war amputee Maj. Blaise

Through NCVA, this year The War Amps has continued our long‑standing work of engaging in veterans issues through media campaigns, holding meetings with VAC officials and other parties, and our NCVA Legislative Agenda 2024‑25 to summarize our advocacy goals.

At the heart of our current advocacy work is our belief that veterans legislation should equate to a “one veteran – one standard” approach. As it stands, veterans injured before 2006 are covered under the Pension Act and receive far greater funding support when compared to those covered under the current New Veterans Charter/Veterans Well-being Act. We believe VAC should instead combine the best parts of both acts to create a comprehensive compensation/pension and wellness model to benefit all disabled veterans, no matter where or when they were injured.

Some of our other priorities this year included areas in which we have been outspoken advocates for many years, such as the intolerable backlog and wait‑time crisis to process veterans’ disability claims, replacing the current inadequate Caregiver Recognition Benefit with a new allowance for veteran caregivers, and achieving enduring cultural change around harassment and sexual misconduct in the military.

With the new appointment in December of Darren Fisher as Minister of Veterans Affairs/Associate Minister of National Defence, we are hopeful he will move forward the much‑needed veterans legislation reform discussed here.

To read about all our advocacy work in detail, please see our NCVA Legislative Program 2024‑25, available at ncva‑cnaac.ca/en/legislative‑program.

Success for Last Post Fund claims

This year marked an important milestone for The War Amps decades‑long work for our seriously disabled Hong Kong veterans from the Second World War. Our final two funeral and burial grant claims to VAC made on behalf of these veterans and their families were successful, closing a chapter on one part of our advocacy work with the passing of the last Canadian Hong Kong veteran.

The War Amps has acted on behalf of these veterans for decades, including extensive advocacy at the United Nations level for compensation, as well as assisting with their pension, disability and Last Post Fund claims to VAC.

Veterans who become disabled because of their service and pass away from that disability are entitled to these grants. Canadian prisoners of war in Hong Kong suffered forced labour, starvation, disease and much more for 44 months, with many dying in the camps. The veterans who survived suffered lasting disabilities, such as heart issues, vitamin deficiencies, limb deformities and blindness, and should clearly be entitled to the Last Post Fund grants.

Unfortunately, in the past, VAC has often denied these rights or delayed the process excessively for what we believe should be an automatic entitlement. After The War Amps got involved and provided detailed submissions on behalf of these two Hong Kong veterans, VAC approved their claims, the last of which we were notified of in December.

We are also pleased to share that we have had great success over the last year regarding Last Post funding for seriously disabled amputee veterans. Following discussions with VAC’s new director of policy and their move to a more realistic assessment of claims, we have gained support for our automatic entitlement position, and more families are now receiving funding. There is still more to do to ensure automatic funding is granted, though, and we will continue to advocate for this change in the future.

Major breakthrough for Canadian veterans with cancer

Recently, we received an encouraging update regarding government benefits for veterans with cancer. The War Amps and NCVA have seen that, for decades, Canadian veterans with cancer have faced significant challenges when applying for VAC disability and health‑care benefits. Individuals had to show that their cancer was caused by their military service through difficult‑to‑obtain medical reports and, even then, had claims delayed or outright denied.

In our NCVA Legislative Program, we worked collaboratively with the newly formed Veterans with Cancer (VWC) organization to draw attention to this troubling issue, with members from VWC providing insight and lived experience for our joint advocacy work.

In late November, VAC officials confirmed that medical reports are no longer required for cancer survivors, and that they only need to show they served in a conflict or military deployment where “environmental hazards” were present, such as exposure to burn pits, carbon tetrachloride and Agent Orange, among others.

This is an incredible step forward for veterans living with cancer. It will also have a significant impact on the many cases The War Amps has advocated for over the years where a veteran’s cancer leads to an amputation, which can be difficult to get VAC to acknowledge is connected to their military service.

Working with VWC, we will monitor future cases to make sure benefits are immediately granted. We will also continue to advocate for VAC to adopt these automatic entitlements for all veterans’ disability and health‑care claims.

Governance

Board of Directors