June 12, 2026 – Ottawa, ON - Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine today released the 2025-2026 Annual Report of the Office of the Veterans Ombud, tabled in the House of Commons by the Honourable Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.
June 11, 2026 - Ottawa, ON – Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine released a Survivors Resource Guide providing information on Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) benefits and services for surviving spouses and common-law partners of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans and members.
The Survivors Resource Guide outlines eligibility pathways, program descriptions, and additional support resources to help those navigating life after the loss of a loved one who served.
December 3, 2025 - Ottawa, ON – Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine released a report identifying systemic unfairness in the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Internal Review Process. Veterans use this process to appeal decisions for a wide range of benefits under the Veterans Health Care Regulations and parts of the Veterans Well-being Act.
November 26, 2025, OTTAWA, ON – Today, in a virtual ceremony, the Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine was honoured to recognize seven individuals and one organization with the 2025 Veterans Ombud Commendation.
Presented annually, the award acknowledges the dedication, hard work and selfless motivation of those who make significant contributions to the well-being of Veterans and their families.
The 2025 recipients are:
September 4, 2025, Ottawa, ON – Today, the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) released its annual publication Spotlight 2025: Progress Update on OVO Recommendations to Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).
June 17, 2025, Ottawa, ON - Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine is pleased to announce that today the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Jill McKnight tabled the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) in the House of Commons.
May 08, 2025 - We are excited to announce that nominations for the 2025 Veterans Ombud Commendation Award are now open!
Each year the Veterans Ombud presents Commendations to recognize and acknowledge remarkable individuals and organizations across Canada who demonstrate dedication and commitment in their support of our Veterans community.
February 26, 2025, Ottawa, ON – Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine released a report today on Additional Dependant Care, a reimbursement mechanism designed to provide relief for additional dependant care costs incurred by Veterans participating in the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Rehabilitation Program. The report found unfairness in the rules for reimbursement that could result in some Veterans not being afforded the same relief as others.
December 2, 2024, OTTAWA, ON – Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine will be in Southern Ontario the week of December 2nd to meet with the Veterans community. The visit includes town halls on December 3rd in Hamilton, December 4th in London and December 5th in Windsor.
November 28, 2024, OTTAWA, ON –Today Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine presented nine 2024 Veterans Ombud Commendations to recipients at a virtual ceremony. The award recognizes and honours the dedication, hard work and selfless motivation of an individual or group's contribution to Canada's Veterans and their families.
The 2024 recipients are:
