Veteran Affairs hires 4 new case managers for Cape Breton

Federal Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O`Toole made a surprise visit to Sydney on Thursday to announce thehiring of four new case managers for Cape Breton.

O'Toole saidthe staff will be working out of Victoria Park in Sydney. Their job is to help veterans with medical issues.

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"This will help get our case-manager ratio down, and allow the men and women who work for Veterans Affairs Canada to spend additional time helping our Canadian Forces veterans to transition into their post-military career," the minister said.

Veterans Affairs is hiring 167 case managers across Canada, O'Toole said.

In 2012, the federal government announced it would be closing nine district Veterans Affairs offices, including the one in Sydney.

That office shut down in February 2014.