What is the purpose of the Victims Fund?
The Victims Fund aims to improve the experience of victims of crime in the
criminal justice system. Currently for year 2006–07, the fund
has $2 million
a year available to meet its objectives, which are to:
- promote access to justice and participation by victims in the
justice system;
- promote the development of law, policies and programs for victims;
- encourage other levels of government to implement principles, guidelines
and laws designed to address the needs of victims of crime and articulate
the victim’s role in the criminal justice system;
- increase knowledge and awareness of the impact of
victimization, the needs
of victims of crime, available services, assistance and programs,
and relevant
legislation;
- encourage governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify
victim
needs and gaps in services, and develop and deliver programs, services and
assistance to victims;
- promote capacity-building within non-governmental organizations; and
- provide direct, limited, emergency financial assistance to:
- individual victims of crime in exceptional circumstances
for emergency
situations of undue hardship where no other source of
financial assistance
is available; and
- family members of victims of homicide who incur expenses to attend
Criminal Code section 745.6 early parole eligibility hearings.
- In addition, victims—if they are registered with
Correctional Service
Canada or the National Parole Board (NPB)—of offenders who are under
federal jurisdiction/supervision who incur expenses to attend NPB hearings
of the offender who harmed them, are eligible to receive
financial assistance
for their expenses.
There are three components of the Victims Fund. The components are:
1) Provincial and Territorial Implementation:
This component is designed to encourage implementation of
federal and provincial/territorial legislation for victims of
crime, particularly
provisions of the Criminal Code such as victim impact
statements,
testimonial aids, etc. In addition, it supports provincial victims’ legislation and the Canadian Statement of Basic Principles of Justice for
Victims of Crime. This component is accessible only by
the provinces
and territories.
2) Projects and Activities Component:
This component provides funding through grants
and contributions
to governmental and non-governmental organizations to promote
the objectives
set out above. It is for projects that encourage the development of new
approaches, promote access to justice, improve the capacity of
service providers,
foster the establishment of referral networks and/or increase awareness
of services available to victims of crime and their families.
3) Financial Assistance Component:
This component provides limited emergency
financial assistance
to individual victims of crime or surviving family members
faced with unusual
or extreme hardship due to criminal victimization, where no
other adequate
source of financial assistance is available. This component
provides funding
to individual victims—including family members and
survivors—of
homicide victims who incur expenses to attend Criminal
Code section
745.6 early parole eligibility hearings.
Please Note: The Victim Fund does not provide compensation
to victims
of crime. Some provinces and territories have programs to
provide compensation.
Links to provincial governments can be found at http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/voc/other.html
What types of projects qualify for funding?
The Victims Fund provides funding to encourage the development of
new approaches
to meet the needs of victims of crime. The types of projects that could receive
funding include:
- projects to assist victims of crime;
- projects to increase awareness and access to services for victims, with
a focus on those in northern and rural communities; and
- projects to enhance the capacity of victim service providers, and to set
up and implement referral networks, public-education projects and training.
Who can apply for this project funding?
- not-for-profit agencies and organizations;
- individuals;
- educational institutions;
- bands and tribal councils;
- non-governmental organizations;
- provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments;
- private-sector organizations sponsoring non-profit projects; and
- governmental and non-governmental international organizations of which
Canada is a member.
How are decisions to fund a project made?
The applicant must provide detailed information about the request for funds
and a budget. A program manager will review the project proposal and decide
if more information is necessary before evaluating the project. A team at the
Policy Centre for Victim Issues will review the completed proposal
and determine
if it meets the funding criteria, if it has received provincial or
territorial
support, and whether there are sufficient resources in the Fund. The Director
of the Centre makes the final decision.
What improves the chances of a funding application?
More funds are requested than there are funds available. A
project has a greater
chance of securing funding if there are other funding partners and there is
demonstrated support from organizations in the community. Often, the Victims
Fund cannot cover the full cost of a project and can only contribute toward
the cost. The Victims Fund generally limits funding to a maximum of $50,000,
with most projects receiving between $25,000 and $50,000.
Can a victim of a crime apply to the Victims Fund?
Yes. A small component of the Fund provides emergency financial assistance
to individual victims of crime or their surviving family members. Assistance
may be available when, as a result of the crime, the person faces unusual or
extreme hardship and there is no other adequate source of financial
assistance
for the person (for example, where victimized in a foreign jurisdiction).
The Victims Fund can also help to pay travel costs and other
related expenses
if a family member plans to attend a Criminal Code section
745.6 early
parole eligibility hearing. The Fund will reimburse actual costs up
to a maximum
of $5,000 for one family member and a maximum of $2,500 for additional family
members.
The Victims Fund can also provide financial assistance to
registered victims
of federally supervised offenders to attend NPB hearings. Actual expenses for
travel and accommodation and an allowance for meals are in
accordance with Treasury
Board guidelines.
The Policy Centre for Victim Issues has more information about how to apply
for this limited emergency financial assistance and how to apply
for financial
assistance to attend NPB hearings.
Where is more information available?
More general information about the Victims Fund and how to apply to it is
available from the Policy Centre for Victim Issues and on the Department of
Justice Canada website.
Policy Centre for Victim Issues
Department of Justice
284 Wellington
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Fax: (613) 941-2269
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/voc/funding.html
Telephone:
Victims Fund: (613) 957-9581
Financial Assistance to attend NPB hearings: 1-866-544-1007
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