Veterans Affairs Canada
Improving Access to Health Information Program

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), in partnership with Industry Canada (IC) and the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL), is implementing an innovative project that teaches veterans and seniors how to use the Internet to access health information and resources available within their community and elsewhere.

Participants in the Nova Scotia pilot projects make waves surfing the Net.The Improving Access to Health Information Program will be phased in beginning in Spring, 2001 and builds on the success of a pilot initiative spearheaded by VAC and the RCL in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in 1999.

As part of the pilot, approximately 120 veterans, caregivers and seniors were given eight weeks of hands-on instruction on how to use the computer to browse the Internet for health and wellness information. Each week, local community health professionals also were on hand to discuss topics such as caregiving, falls prevention and mental wellness. The sessions were held in six Legion branches using surplus computer equipment donated by VAC. VAC also provided funding for the pilot.

Based on the success of the pilot, Veterans Affairs Canada is partnering with Industry Canada and the RCL to establish Community Access Program (CAP) sites at 44 Legion branches in seven provinces. CAP is a federal initiative administered by Industry Canada that provides Canadians with affordable public access to the Internet and the skills they need to use it. As part of the CAP network, the Legion sites will become "on-ramps" to the Information Highway for veterans and other seniors in the community. Once the CAP sites are established, VAC will partner with the Legion and community organizations to deliver health promotion education and information at selected sites.

For more information about the project, we invite you to visit Veterans Affairs Canada's web site or Seniors Canada On-line at www.seniors.gc.ca.

For more information about CAP, please visit Industry Canada's web site at cap.ic.gc.ca.

Press Release