Can Praxis in Alberta receives federal funds for its Breaking the Cycle program

News release

Veterans Affairs Canada provides support through the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund

2 June 2022 – Calgary – Veterans Affairs Canada

In a virtual event today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence announced that Can Praxis will receive $460,000 through the Veteran and Family Well‑Being Fund (VFWF).

Can Praxis’ “Breaking the Cycle Family Program” will provide children of Veterans with occupational stress injuries the tools to understand and live with the realities of their parents’ injuries. The program works to break the cycle that trauma can create within families, and provides a healthier future for these children.

This year’s VFWF recipients focus on issues affecting Veterans and their families during the post COVID-19 recovery, such as homelessness, retraining, employment, and health challenges, along with supporting equity-seeking groups such as women and LGBTQ2 Veterans. This support is made possible through additional investments in the VFWF in Budget 2021.

Created in 2018, the VFWF provides financial support to private, public and academic organizations striving to improve the lives of Veterans and their families through innovative projects, initiatives and research.

Quotes

“Because their service to Canada is unique, the challenges that a lot of our Veterans and their families can face are unique. Right across the country, there are some excellent organizations doing remarkable work to support them, and we created the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund to help them continue to do so. Organizations like Can Praxis play an important role in this work, and I’m proud that we’re able to provide them with funding for this program.”

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

“This is an important day for Can Praxis and for the Veterans and families we serve. VAC’s support for our “Breaking the Cycle” program will help end the recurring loop of multi-generational mental health injuries in families, such as those facing PTSD. Programs like this one, which improve access to mental health therapies and programs, will truly benefit the families of Canada’s men and women in uniform.”

Steve Critchley, Founder, Can Praxis

Quick facts

  • With new funding announced in Budget 2021, the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund will provide $8 million a year until the fiscal year 2023-24. The current projects support Veterans during the post COVID-19 recovery, including addressing homelessness, retraining, employment and health challenges, along with supporting women and LGBTQ2 Veterans.

  • Since 2018, the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund has awarded more than $36 million to help 102 organizations across the country improve the lives of Veterans and their families.

  • Founded in 2013 by a Canadian military Veteran and a trauma-focused clinician, Can Praxis is a leading equine-assisted therapy provider for Veteran and First Responder communities. They provide mental health recovery programs for those living with an operational stress injury (OSI), such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Contacts

Media Relations
Veterans Affairs Canada
613-992-7468
media@veterans.gc.ca

Erika Lashbrook Knutson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
erika.lashbrookknutson@veterans.gc.ca

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