Have Your Say: COVID-19 impact survey seeking veterans and their family members

The Vanier Institute is now conducting a survey to capture veteran and veteran families’ thoughts, experiences, and perspectives.

The institute has partnered with True Patriot Love on a national survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on veterans and veteran families both during the pandemic and post-pandemic.

“As Canada’s leading foundation supporting serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, and their families, True Patriot Love is dedicated to understanding the greatest needs of this community with the goal of funding programs and advocating for policies that address these needs. This important research aligns with this mandate,” says Nick Booth, CEO, True Patriot Love Foundation.

Since March 2020, the Vanier Institute of the Family, in partnership with Statistics Canada and others, has been conducting weekly polls of families across Canada.

The poll looks at their wellbeing and indicates patterns that may help a national response to future events such as a second wave of COVID-19, or co-related mental health trauma as an emerging concern.

No specific study has been conducted, so there isn’t a lot of information available on veteran family experiences and the impact of COVID-19 on this community.

The survey began in June 2020, and a second-round will take place in October, along with a third in March 2021.

Booth notes the information that is gathered from the survey will inform True Patriot Love’s grant-making decisions and support the need for funding and policies from government organizations like Veterans Affairs Canada.

The survey can be completed by anyone who is a Veteran or a member of a Veteran family. All the information you provide is strictly confidential. Aggregated data will inform evidence-based decision-making for those who study, serve, and support families in Canada.

The results will be shared widely, including with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Health Canada, and others.

The Vanier Institute of the Family is a national, independent, charitable organization dedicated to understanding the diversity and complexity of families and the reality of family life in Canada.

True Patriot Love is a national charity that supports military families, funds community-based programs, and contributes to the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research.

The survey takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete.