An Overview of Victim Services Across Canada

Ontario

Legislation

The Ontario Victims' Bill of Rights, proclaimed in 1996, sets out principles for the treatment of victims and provides for the maintenance of the Victims' Justice Fund. The Fund collects victim surcharges and uses those monies to assist victims by supporting programs or making grants to community agencies. The surcharge is calculated on a graduated scale according to the amount of the fine.

Services

Ontario supports a number of programs including:

• The Victim/Witness Assistance Program (V/WAP), which provides comprehensive court-based support services to the most vulnerable victims and witnesses of crimes of violence
• Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres, which provide a broad range of services to adult female victims of sexual violence and survivors of sexual abuse
• Victims' Crisis Assistance and Referral Services (VCARS), which are community-based agencies to provide immediate help to victims of crime or disaster
• The Victim Support Line -- A toll-free information line that provides information and referrals, a victim notification system, (pre-recorded) information about the criminal justice system, and a Victim Liaison Unit
• Partner Assault Response programs, which are educational/counselling group intervention program for offenders who have abused their partner
• Child Witness Support Projects, which are specialized court preparation services and advocacy for children
• SupportLink, which provides safety planning and cell phones to victims at risk of assault, domestic violence, and/or criminal harassment (stalking)

Compensation

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board administers the fund for compensable expenses including medical, dental and counselling expenses, wage loss, pain and suffering and support of a child born as a result of a rape. Lump sum or periodic awards or a combination or both can be awarded to victims or their families up to $25,000 lump sum per incident for one victim or up to $1,000 per month periodic award for all claimants.

Victim Services: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/vw/

Criminal Injuries Compensation Board: http://www.cicb.gov.on.ca/en/index.htm