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The victims of crime strategy is intended to improve the experience of the victim in
the criminal justice system and increase the confidence of victims of crime in the
criminal justice system by:
- ensuring that victims of crime and their families are
aware of their role in the criminal justice system and services and assistance
available to support them;
- enhancing the Department of Justice's capacity to
develop policy, legislation and other initiatives which take into
consideration the perspectives of victims;
- increasing the awareness of criminal justice
personnel, allied professionals and the public about the needs of victims of
crime, legislative provisions designed to protect them and services available
to support them; and
- developing and disseminating information about effective approaches both within Canada
and internationally to respond to the needs of victims of crime.
THE FUND 
The fund is comprised of four components that directly support the objectives of the
initiative.
Objectives Of The Fund
- to enhance knowledge, promote developments and inform
Canadians and criminal justice practitioners about the impact of
victimization, the needs of victims of crime, approaches to respond to those
needs and about the criminal justice system and the victim's role in that
system.
- to promote access to justice and participation in the
justice system and the development of law, policies and programs through
support for consultations, research, the development and dissemination of
information and the development, demonstration/testing and implementation of
innovative approaches, models and pilot projects regarding the delivery of
services, programs and assistance to victims of crime.
- to promote the implementation of legislative reforms
designed to address the needs of victims of crime and articulate their role in
the criminal justice system (including Criminal Code, Corrections and
Conditional Release Act and Youth Criminal Justice Act (proposed), Young
Offenders Act and provincial and territorial victim legislation including
Victim of Crime Acts, compensation legislation and victims of domestic
violence legislation).
- to promote the implementation of the Canadian
Statement of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime (and any renewed
and/or revised Statement), the United Nations Statement of Basic Principles of
Justice for Victims of Crime and the principles and goals set out in the
preamble to S.C. 1999 c. 25, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (victims of
crime) and another Act in consequence.
- to contribute to increased knowledge and awareness of
the impact of victimization, the available services, assistance, programs and
legislation, the special needs of particular people due to the nature of their
victimization or other characteristics, the training and development of skills
of victim service providers and related/allied professionals.
- to promote and encourage community/non-governmental
organization involvement in the identification of victim needs and gaps in
services, and in the development and delivery of programs, services and
assistance to victims in their communities.
- to enhance the involvement of non-governmental
organizations through initiatives to build capacity within organizations
(including training) to better meet the needs of victims of crime, to develop
networks or referral mechanisms for service delivery and to enhance the
participation of non-governmental organizations in the development of
policies, programs and legislation.
- to provide direct, limited, emergency financial
assistance to individual victims of crime in exceptional circumstances and to
survivors of victims of homicide who incur expenses to attend early parole
eligibility hearings (s. 745.6 of the Criminal Code of Canada ).
The four components of the Fund are:
Provincial and Territorial Implementation
- this component will assist provinces and territories
to implement legislation for victims of crime; in particular the provisions of
the Criminal Code (e.g., victim impact statement, consideration of victim
safety at bail, publication bans, restitution).
- Applications for a contribution may be made by the provincial or territorial ministry or
agency designated by the provincial/territorial Attorney General or Minister of Justice.
Innovative Pilot Projects and Activities
- this component will provide financial assistance (grants and contributions) to
governmental and non-governmental organizations to promote the objectives set out above
through innovative projects, public education initiatives, enhanced assistance to victims
of crime, increased awareness of and access to services and assistance, establishment of
referral networks, training initiatives and other initiatives.
Northern and Rural Projects and Activities
- this component will provide financial assistance (grants & contributions) to
governmental & non-governmental organizations to contribute to the development of and
expansion of victim services and assistance and to increase access to such services in
northern and rural communities.
Emergency Financial Assistance
- this component will provide 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.
- in addition, this component will provide financial
assistance to surviving family members of homicide victims to attend early
parole eligibility hearings (s. 745.6) including travel, accommodation and
meal allowances in accordance with prevailing Treasury Board guidelines
(actual expenses up to $5,000 for first family member and $2,500 for an
additional family member).
- applications for emergency financial assistance must
set out the expenses reasonably anticipated to be incurred and/or actual
expenses incurred.
- the limit for emergency financial assistance will be communicated to applicants.
RECIPIENTS
Funds are available to:
- Provincial and Territorial departments and agencies
designated by the Attorney General or Minister of Justice of the province and
territory as responsible for the provision of services to victims of crime are
eligible to apply for contribution funding under the Provincial and
Territorial Implementation Component.
- Any of the following may apply for grants and contribution funding under Innovative
Pilots Projects and Activities and Northern and Rural component to support the objectives
stated.
- individuals
- national, provincial, municipal, Aboriginal,
community or professional organizations, societies or associations
- Canadian educational institutions
- International non-government organizations including
bodies associated or affiliated with organizations of which Canada is a
member, which have as their purpose victim advocacy, services, assistance or
raising awareness about the impact of victimization
- International governmental organizations including
organizations of which Canada is a member which have as one of their
purposes, victim assistance, advocacy, research or other purposes related to
victim issues
- private sector organizations sponsoring non-profit
projects
- Bands, Tribal Councils and self-governing First
Nations who are working to provide services and assistance to victims of
crime in Aboriginal communities
- community organizations, societies and associations
which have voluntarily associated themselves for a non-profit purpose, which
have a mandate to represent their membership or community and which
interface with, or whose clients interface with, the criminal justice system
and where their activities support the objectives of the fund
- provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments
- individuals, who are victims of crime, are eligible to
make application under the Emergency Financial Assistance Component. The
definition of "victim" in s. 722 of the Code will govern.
- for-profit groups and activities are not eligible for funding under the Victims
Fund
Type Of Funding
Funding is primarily class grants and contributions.
Relationship With Other Justice Initiatives
Applications for funding will be reviewed to determine whether there is a link to other
initiatives including Youth Justice, Aboriginal Justice, Family Violence and Crime
Prevention. Opportunities to share financial contributions will be explored.
Contact
Policy Centre for Victim Issues
Department of Justice
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Fax: (613) 941-2269
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