Over 110,000 repairs made to Veteran grave markers across the country
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 11, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadian Veterans have served our country with bravery, honour and dignity. One of the important ways we honour them is by maintaining their gravesites in perpetuity.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, announced the successful completion of a five-year project to address needed repairs to Veteran grave markers maintained by Veterans Affairs Canada in cemeteries across the country.
In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada invested $24.4 million, over five years, in the Department's Grave Marker Maintenance Program to undertake over 54,000 outstanding repairs. During the five-year project, an additional 60,000 repairs were made to Veteran grave markers.
A portion of the project funding was also used to repair infrastructure at cemeteries with large numbers of Veteran graves, including the two departmental cemeteries: Fort Massey in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Veterans' Cemetery (God's Acre) in Esquimalt, British Columbia.
As the project comes to an end, maintenance work will carry on. We will continue to visit the gravesites of Canadian Veterans, inspect their grave markers and ensure they receive the care they deserve.
"The grave markers of Canadian Veterans are an important part of our military history. One of the ways we honour the service and sacrifice of those who have served on behalf of Canada is by maintaining gravesites and grave markers here at home and around the world. Over the past five years, the Government of Canada has completed more than 110,000 repairs on Veteran grave markers across the country to honour their sacrifices and preserve their legacy. We will continue to look after the grave markers of Canadian Veterans, ensuring they receive the care and maintenance they deserve for years to come."
? The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
- Veterans Affairs Canada maintains approximately 250,000 eligible Veteran grave markers in over 7,800 cemeteries across the country.
- In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $24.4 million over five years to address needed repairs to Veteran grave markers.
- Veterans Affairs Canada manages two cemeteries, both in Canada. The Veterans' Cemetery (God's Acre) in Esquimalt, British Columbia and Fort Massey in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada
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