News Release Communiqué
Ministry of the Attorney General	Ministère du Procureur général

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO HELP VICTIMS OF CRIME

TORONTO — Attorney General Michael Bryant today announced that 69 community agencies will get $6 million in funding for projects to help put more victims of crime on the road to recovery.

"The McGuinty government's investment in victim services will help these agencies develop and enhance resources designed to empower victims and make communities stronger and better equipped to meet victims' needs," said Bryant. "Our government will invest more in victim services in four years than the previous government did over eight."

The investment of $6 million in 2006/07 is part of three-year, $15 million funding of the Community Grant program. This year's grants support local and provincial projects that address gaps in services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and hate crimes, child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, and under-served and unserved victims.

Applications for grants in 2007–08 will soon be available.

"The grant we are receiving will help us to deliver services that are important to our community," said Younglee Ha, Executive Director of Korean Canadian Women's Association Family and Social Services, which will receive $55,500 from the program. "We will be able to work to create safer environments for victims of domestic violence, by training community members to provide outreach."

Others among the 69 grant recipients include:

• Whitepath Consulting and Counselling Services in Peterborough, which will receive approximately $100,000 to identify up to 120 Aboriginal children and youth victims and seek to help address their issues using a well-researched Aboriginal holistic approach to healing
• Centre des femmes francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario, which will receive approximately $94,000 to hold a two-day conference with four focus groups and to develop information kits to raise the awareness of Francophone women from communities in Northwestern Ontario about victimization, family violence and rights of women and their children
• Northwood Neighbourhood Services, which will receive $78,000 to develop an educational video, workshops and a conference for youth victims of hate crimes, and help them with appropriate referrals.

This year, for the first time, the Office for Victims of Crime worked with community representatives in six regional committees across the province and ministry staff to review and suggest projects that fill gaps and are innovative and effective.

"The Office for Victims of Crime is proud that we have been able to take an active role in reviewing the applications for grants from the many local services," said Ruth Campbell, Chair of the Office for Victims of Crime. "Community involvement, both in the local agencies that develop the projects and the regional committees that review the applications, is key to improving the services available to victims across the province."

"The McGuinty government is working to ensure that appropriate resources are available for local needs, that will offer help to victims and their families," said Bryant. "We are working with community agencies to provide exceptional supports and services to victims."

The Community Grants Program is just one example of how the McGuinty government is on the side of Ontario's most vulnerable.

Others include:

• Implementing a comprehensive, five-part, $5 million provincewide strategy to combat Internet child pornography and luring
• Investing $2 million this year to boost support for community agencies that provide shelter and counselling services to women and children escaping violence in their homes. This two per cent increase brings annual support to shelters to nearly $118 million
• Establishing the Hate Crimes Community Working Group to recommend ways to improve services for victims of hate crimes and prevent further victimization.

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