Government of Canada Funds Child Advocacy Centre of Simcoe/Muskoka
ORILLIA, ON, August 15, 2013 – Today, the Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced over $320,000 in funding for the establishment of a Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) that would help child and youth victims of crime in the Ontario counties of Simcoe and Muskoka.
“The development of a Child Advocacy Centre to serve the Simcoe and Muskoka counties will go a long way towards helping to reduce the potential of further trauma for young victims of abuse in the community,” said Minister MacKay. “Through their efficient and integrated approach, these centres provide a child-friendly setting for young victims, better addressing their needs.”
Through the Department of Justice’s Victims Fund, $329,496 has been made available, over three years, for the establishment of the CAC of Simcoe/Muskoka.
Child Advocacy Centres provide a safe, child-friendly environment where a collaborative, coordinated team of professionals work together in a child-focused manner to help a child or youth victim or witness navigate the criminal justice system. The work of a CAC multi-disciplinary team can greatly reduce the emotional and mental harm to the child. It has also been shown that investigations conducted by CACs are cost-effective and can expedite decision-making by Crown prosecutors laying criminal charges.
Since 2006, the Government of Canada has allocated more than $120 million, through initiatives delivered by the Department of Justice Canada, to give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system. This funding includes more than $10 million allocated since 2010 for the establishment or enhancement of Child Advocacy Centres. So far, CAC projects have been funded in more than 20 cities or municipalities across Canada, including Halifax, Cornwall, St. Catharines, Regina, Saskatoon, and Vancouver.
The Government of Canada has also put forward a number of measures to better protect children, including:
- The Safe Streets and Communities Act, which increased penalties for sexual offences against children and created two new offences aimed at conduct that could facilitate or enable the commission of a sexual offence against a child;
- Strengthening the sex offender registry to be a more effective tool for preventing and investigating crimes;
- Increasing the age of protection from 14 to 16 years old;
- Eliminating house arrest for criminals who commit serious and violent offences including all child sexual offences;
- Putting forward legislation to make the reporting of child pornography by Internet service providers mandatory; and
- Strengthening the sentencing and monitoring of dangerous offenders.
This funding announcement is in keeping with the Government's Plan for Safe Streets and Communities, one of four priorities identified by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This plan focuses on holding violent criminals accountable, enhancing the rights of victims, and increasing the efficiency of our justice system.
Backgrounder: Child Advocacy Centres
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