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The Victims Fund

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