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OTTAWA – One of Canada’s largest providers of housecleaning services for veterans is crying foul over changes to a national home-care program.

It’s the latest headache for a Conservative government already under fire for closing eight regional Veterans Affairs Canada offices.

Kevin Hipkins of Molly Maid International says a 2012 overhaul of the Veterans Independence Program has actually made it more difficult for former soldiers to manage services such as housekeeping and yard work.

Hipkins and his competitor Merry Maid have both written to the current and former veteran’s affairs minister, to no avail.

The Conservatives insist the changes made things easier for ex-soldiers by providing them two up-front payments per year, rather than requiring them to submit receipts for the services and wait to be reimbursed.

But Hipkins says many veterans have struggled with the new system and some are using the grants to cover living expenses, rather than paying for cleaning and yard services.

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