Exploring perceptions, behaviours, and experiences in relation to My VAC Account - Text Description

**Figure 1: Demographic profile of survey respondents**
In which province or territory do you live?	Frequency
Alberta	13%
British Columbia	13%
Manitoba	4%
New Brunswick	9%
Newfoundland and Labrador	3%
Nova Scotia	17%
Ontario	23%
Prince Edward Island	1%
Quebec	14%
Saskatchewan	2%
Territories	<1%
Prefer not to say	2%

Age
18-29	1%
30-39	12%
40-49	16%
50-59	31%
60-69	25%
70-79	11%
80+	3%
I prefer not to say	<1%

% who have you EVER visited a VAC area office	45%

Indigenous
First Nations	3%
Métis	3%
No	88%
I prefer not to say	7%

Language Spoken at Home
English	86%
French	17%
Another language (multiple responses accepted)	1%

Gender
Male	3%
Female	3%
Another Gender	88%
Prefer not to say	7%

Internet Commection
Dial-up	1%
High speed	94%
Do not know	1%
No internet at home	1%
Prefer not to say	3%

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**Figure 2: Type of My VAC Account User**
Retired member of the CAF	67%
Serving member of the CAF	12%
Serving member of the RCMP	9%
Retired member of the RCMP	8%
A war Veteran	1%
Family member who receives benefits	1%

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**Figure 3: Characteristics of focus group participants**
Type of My VAC Account user	Number of Participants
War Veteran	4 participants
Retired or still-serving member of the CAF	6 participants
Retired or still-serving member of the RCMP	2 participants
Frequency of using My VAC Account in the past year	Number of Participants
Four to 10 times	2 participants
More than 10 times	10 participants
Age	Number of Participants
30 to 39	3 participants
40 to 49	5 participants
50 to 59	2 participants
60 to 69	1 participant
70 to 79	1 participant
Gender	Number of Participants
Male	10 participants
Female	2 participants
Region	Number of Participants
Atlantic Canada	1 participant
Quebec	4 participants
Ontario	4 participants
West	3 participants

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**Figure 4: Registration process used**
GCKey	54%
Sign-in Partner	43%
Cant recall/ prefer not to say	3%

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**Figure 5: Reason(s) for using GCKey**
I was more comfortable with GCKey.	68%
I didn't want to use my banking information.	27%
My bank wasn't an option in Sign-in Partner.	10%
I can't recall.	14%

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**Figure 6: Ease of registration process**
Very easy	41%
Somewhat easy	34%
Somewhat difficult	9%
Very difficult	4%
I can't recall	13%

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**Figure 7: Agreement with steps required for registration**
Strongly agree	40%
Agree	41%
Neutral	8%
Disagree	1%
Strongly disagree	6%
I don't know	5%

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**Figure 8: Source of Awareness**
VAC staff member	25%
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)	21%
Word of mouth (e.g., from a friend or colleague)	14%
Browsing the VAC website	12%
Information sent to you by VAC	12%
Veterans' organization or event	4%
Another government department/office	3%
Other, please specify	3%
I can't recall	7%

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**Figure 9: Frequency of Use**
At least once a day	10%
Several times a week	26%
About once a week	23%
About once a month	24%
Less than once a month	15%

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**Figure 10: Use of Features**
Applying online for VAC benefits/services	89%
Receiving correspondence from VAC in My VAC Account	85%
Communicating with VAC staff through secure messaging	83%
Viewing a summary of my benefits	82%
Uploading documents to support my applications	79%
Updating my personal information	70%
Signing up for direct deposit/ changing banking information	63%
Adding my email address to receive email notifications	59%
Changing communications preferences	32%
Communicating with the BPA	27%
Communicating with the VRAB	17%
Accessing COVID-19 related features/information	15%
Other	3%

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**Figure 11: Helpfulness of information found on Member Task List**
Very helpful	59%
Slightly helpful	27%
Not at all helpful	5%
I can't recall	7%

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**Figure 12: Helpfulness of the Wait Time Tool**
Very helpful	6%
Moderately helpful	21%
Slightly helpful	24%
Not at all helpful	46%

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**Figure 13: Approximate time expected on application**
Yes, the tool told me when to expect a decision	46%
No, the tool did not tell me when to expect a decision	48%
I can't recall	4%

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**Figure 14: Usefulness of Track your Application Tool**
Helped find out the status of my application	39%
Helped in part / somewhat	45%
Did not help	15%

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**Figure 15: Details available through Track Your Applications Tool**
Yes, the tool provides enough detail	26%
No, the tool does not provide enough detail	69%
I don't know	5%

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**Figure 16: Reason(s) Track Your Applications was missing details**
Lack of information at the various steps / only states which step with no additional details	30%
Encountered delays / timeline is inaccurate	29%
Information about status is too vague / generic	25%
No estimated date of approval provided	9%
Other reasons	17%

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**Figure 17: Reason(s) for not using the Track Applications Tool**
I did not need to use it	59%
I did not know about it	12%
It seemed complicated to use	9%
Other	15%
I don't know	9%
Prefer not to say	1%

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**Figure 18: Preferred method for contacting VAC**
Secure message in My VAC Account	59%
Phone	25%
Email	10%
In-person	3%
Other	2%

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**Figure 19: Use of Secure Messaging in past 12 months**
Yes, I have used secure messaging	80%
No, I have not used secure messaging	15%
I can't recall	4%

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**Figure 20: Frequency of Connecting with VAC Staff via Secure Messaging**
	Past 6 months	Past 12 months
Once	12%	8%
Twice	14%	12%
3 to 4 times	16%	15%
5 to 9 times	15%	17%
10+ times	7%	15%
Many times (unspecified)	2%	2%
I can't recall	22%	24%
I haven't connected	10%	6%

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**Figure 21: Waiting time for Secure Messaging reply**
	Actual	Expected
Less than one business day	3%	4%
1-2 business days	38%	43%
3-5 business days	47%	43%
More than 5 business days	9%	8%

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**Figure 22: Connecting with case manager via Secure Messaging**
Connected with case manager	33%
Did not connect with case manager	26%
Do not have a case manager	37%
I can't recall	4%

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**Figure 23: Satisfaction with secure messaging system**
	Past 6 months	Past 12 months
Very satisfied	37%	35%
Satisfied	29%	31%
Neutral	13%	12%
Dissatisfied	11%	12%
Very dissatisfied	9%	10%

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**Figure 24: Need for follow up with VAC staff**
Yes, had to follow up	55%
No, did not need to re-contact VAC	36%
I can't recall	8%

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**Figure 25: Preferred method to receive VAC updates**
Through My VAC Account	61%
Email	32%
Mail	2%

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**Figure 26: News and Notifications Section**
I don't know	8%
Something else	5%
Commemoration events and related news	30%
Mental health information and services	47%
New programs and services	77%
Updates to My VAC Account and new features	78%
Changes to benefits	82%

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**Figure 27: Preferred frequency of VAC news**
I don't know	3%
Only when necessary	17%
Once a year	1%
Twice a year	10%
Once a month	51%
Once a week	16%

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**Figure 28: Experience accessing information on My VAC Account**
I generally find everything I need	29%
I generally find most of what I need	38%
I generally find some of what I need	28%
I generally find none of what I need	4%

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**Figure 29: Reason(s) for not finding all the information needed**
The information does not have enough detail	67%
The information is difficult to understand	22%
My VAC Account is hard to navigate	15%
My VAC Account is complicated to access	6%
Some forms are hard to find/use	4%
Wait times are inaccurate/not up-to-date	4%
Other	6%

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**Figure 30: Perceptions of the information in My VAC Account**
	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	I Don't Know
Information is easy to find	20%	46%	18%	11%	4%
Information is easy to understand	18%	43%	20%	14%	5%
I understand the next steps	16%	40%	22%	14%	6%
Information includes helpful external resources	14%	36%	27%	9%	5%	7%
Information has the right amount of detail	13%	28%	17%	27%	14%

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**Figure 31: Perceptions of different aspects of My VAC Account**
	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	I Don't Know
I think My VAC Account uses practices that ensure system security.	27%	56%	10%			4%
I would recommend My VAC Account to others.	35%	44%	12%	3%	4%
I can do the business I need to with VAC through My VAC Account.	21%	47%	19%	8%	4%
My VAC Account is visually appealing.	12%	46%	31%	6%	3%
I like the updates that I have seen in My VAC Account in the past year.	17%	41%	28%	5%	4%	4%

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**Figure 32: Reasons for disagreeing with the statements about My VAC Account**
Statement	Feedback
I think My VAC Account uses practices that ensure system security.	No one disagreed with this statement.
I would recommend My VAC Account to others. (n=40)	Those who disagreed tended to point to their perception that My VAC Account is not easy to use (e.g., it is hard to navigate) or not particularly useful because the information provided is not helpful (e.g., it provides generic information about the processing of applications).
I can do the business I need to with VAC through My VAC Account. (n=65)	Reasons for disagreeing with this statement ranged from the perception that the site provides inaccurate wait times for the processing of applications, to having to call VAC to resolve the issue or get the information they tried to find on My VAC Account, to this site providing generic information or information that lacks the necessary details.
My VAC Account is visually appealing. (n=38)	Those who disagreed that My VAC Account is visually appealing attributed this to myriad reasons including, but not limited to, the following: it looks "old" and/or "dated", it looks like a "typical government website", "it is boring", it is "too busy", it is not intuitively designed nor mobile friendly, and it feels "drab" and "dull".
I like the updates that I have seen in My VAC Account in the past year. (n=41)	My VAC Account users who disagreed with this statement tended to point to the following: their perception that there have not been any updates to My VAC Account and their opinion that the updates have not improved/addressed the issues they have with My VAC Account, such as wait times and the lack of detailed information provided when tracking applications.

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**Figure 33: Overall satisfaction with My VAC Account**
Very satisfied	31%
Satisfied	40%
Neither	15%
Dissatisfied	9%
Very dissatisfied	4%

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**Figure 34: Reason for dissatisfaction with My VAC Account**
Not enough details provided to find forms / specific information	59%
Lack of support / assistance	59%
Minimal communication / updates from VAC	49%
Features are difficult to use	31%
Technical difficulties	27%
Trouble finding information	26%
Other	12%
I don't know	2%
Prefer not to say	5%

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