By Royal Canadian Legion

Veterans to connect with Veteran Peer Advocates

The Burns Way – Support for Veterans

Aug 27, 2025 | 8:56 AM

Connect to The Burns Way

The Burns Way provides a new way for Veterans to connect with Veteran Peer Advocates quickly and safely through an anonymous chat platform.

Peer Advocates are real people, Veterans with lived experience in service, and no bots or artificial intelligence (AI) are ever used.

Peer Advocates are not mental health professionals. They are Veterans who have been honourably discharged or have retired from service in the Canadian Armed Forces or RCMP. They are trained to listen, reflect, provide comfort, offer guidance, or direct guests to resources to help with whatever they are dealing with. They draw on their own lived experiences to ensure that Veterans seeking support feel genuinely heard, safe, and valued, whether going through a difficult time or just wanting a safe space to chat.

Connect to The Burns Way

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The Burns Way can help with:
» Mental health and wellness
» Anxiety, worry, stress
» Depression and loneliness
» Trauma, including Operational Stress Injuries
» Grief and loss
» Work and relationships
» Navigating access to entitlements from Veterans Affairs Canada or other sources.

How it Works
The Burns Way is an anonymous, virtual safe space where Veterans can access a national network of volunteer peer advocates — other Veterans who are ready to listen, offer support, and share resources. Access to peer support services is free and completely anonymous; no personal information is ever requested or required.

This service allows Veterans to connect with a peer who shares similar lived experiences unique to the Veteran population, for example, their service type, regiment, era of service, language, or gender identity, providing support that’s personalized to their unique background and needs. The Burns Way is ready when you are. Use the app or connect directly through this website to get started.

There’s no need to provide personal information—no account setup, usernames, logins, or wait times. As soon as the chat ends, all history is automatically deleted. Your personal data will never be collected, stored, or sold.

Program Pillars: The Burns Way is based on three pillars that guide and shape the program

Stigma Reduction

The Burns Way addresses the needs of the “majority anonymous” – we believe that the majority of Veterans who need help are hesitant to reach out. The platform provides a safe and inclusive environment, free from stigma. It is built to encourage Veterans to seek help without feeling judged.

Cultural Safety

The program prioritizes and embraces the diversity of all Canadians who have served, ensuring inclusivity by accommodating Veterans and families from different backgrounds, languages, cultures, races, and orientations. Cultural safety requires ongoing reflection, awareness, and sensitivity to cultural differences, creating an environment that deeply values personal identities.

Peer Support

This program pillar ensures that Veterans and their families have access to trained Veteran peers with lived experience who represent the diversity of the Veteran community. Through a lens of perceived trust, peers provide emotional support, guidance, and a safe space where Veterans and family members can feel heard as they navigate their journey to wellness.

Connect to The Burns Way