Family Violence support services

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Note that not all provinces and territories offer the same services.

Learn about family violence support services

Family violence occurs when a person abuses someone in their family. It can happen before, during or after a couple separates, but people are often at higher risk of family violence soon after a separation.

Family violence can take many forms, including words, acts or even not giving someone the care they need. It can happen to anyone, both children and adults.

Even when the family violence is not directed toward a child, it is harmful for children to see or hear violence between other family members or to know that a family member is being abused.

Many provinces and territories offer family justice services to help you before, during and after a separation or divorce when there is family violence or a risk of family violence in a relationship. These services include support for victims and neutral third party supervision for parenting time or transfers of children between parents.

Types of services

Victim services

Victim services are organizations working to help victims of crime. In the context of family violence, they can provide crisis support, help you understand your options, develop a safety plan and inform you about resources available in your area.

Supervision services for parenting time (access) and transfers

Family violence and the impact of family violence often continue after separation and divorce. Sometimes, safety concerns arise with respect to the exercise of parenting time (also known as “access” in some provinces and territories) or during the transfer or exchange of a child between parents. Supervised parenting time and transfer services allow for the transfer of the child and exercise of parenting time to take place under the supervision of a trained third party in a safe, neutral and child-focused manner.

Family law can be complex. You may want to get advice regarding your situation from a family law legal adviser.

For more information on provincial and territorial services that provide legal advice, please see the “Services that assist with the court process” section.

Definition:
A Legal adviser is a person who is qualified in a province to give legal advice to another person or represent them in court. This can be a lawyer, and in some provinces, may include other professionals.

Related Justice Canada resources

Find the publicly funded family justice services available in your province or territory

Alberta

Intake Services

Resolution Services

Calgary
Telephone: 403-297-6981

Edmonton

Telephone: 780-427-8343

Fort McMurray

Telephone: 780-743-7345

Grande Prairie

Telephone: 780-833-4200

High Prairie

Telephone: 780-523-6173

Hinton

Telephone: 780-865-8384

Lethbridge

Telephone: 403-388-3102

Medicine Hat

Telephone: 403-529-8716

Red Deer

Telephone: 403-340-7187

Stony Plain

Telephone: 780-968-5812

St. Paul

Telephone: 780-614-6300

Wetaskiwin

Telephone: 780-361-1374

Court & Justice Services Contact Centre

Telephone: 1-855-738-4747

British Columbia
Keeping Your Family Safe

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice/keeping-your-family-safe

Gender-based Violence, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/domestic-violence

Violence Against Women

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/domestic-violence/what-is-violence-against-women

Victim Services & Violence Against Women Directory

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/if-you-are-a-victim-of-a-crime/victim-of-crime/victim-services-directory

Police-based Victims Services

Website: https://www.policevictimservices.bc.ca/victim-services-in-bc-draft/

VictimLink

Telephone: 1-800-563-0808
Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/victims-of-crime/victimlinkbc

Manitoba

Family Resolution Service

200-379 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0T9
Telephone: 204-945-2312
Toll free: 1-844-808-2313 in Manitoba
Fax: 204-948-2142
Email: getguidance@gov.mb.ca
Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/familylaw/resolution/family-resolution-service.html
Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/familylaw/safety/intimate-partner-violence.html

Victim Services

1410-405 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3L6
Telephone: 204-945-6851
Toll free: 1-866-484-2846 in Manitoba
Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/vs/index.html

Supervision services for parenting time (access) and transfers

Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency

385 River Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0C3
Telephone: 204 - 284 - 4170
Toll free: 1- 866 - 886 - 6153
Fax: 204 - 284 - 4162
Website: https://wcaa.ca/index.htm

Brandon Access/Exchange Service

144-12th Street (downtown area), Brandon, Manitoba R7A 4L7
Telephone: 204-729-8115
Email: bfcaccess@mymts.net 
Website: http://www.brandonaccessexchangeservice.com/

New Brunswick

Emergency Intervention Orders (EIO)

Bathurst Court Services (EIO Head Office)

P.O. Box 5001
Bathurst, NB E2A 3Z9
Email: IPVIJusticeHeadOffice@gnb.ca
Hours of head office operation: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Hours of EIO operation: 24/7

Newfoundland and Labrador
Supreme Court – Family Violence Information page

Website: https://court.nl.ca/supreme/family/violence.html

Department of Justice and Public Safety – Victim Services program

Website: https://www.gov.nl.ca/victimservices/

Northwest Territories

Nova Scotia
Supervised Parenting and Exchange Program

Website: https://www.nsfamilylaw.ca/about/news/supervised-access-and-exchange-program

Family Law Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Supreme Court (Family Division) Halifax FLIP Centre

Telephone: 902-424-5232
Email: questions@nsfamilylaw.ca
Twitter: @nsfamilylaw
Website: https://www.nsfamilylaw.ca/family-violence

Nova Scotia Supreme Court (Family Division) Sydney FLIP Centre

Telephone: 902-563-5761
Email: questions@nsfamilylaw.ca
Twitter: @nsfamilylaw
Website: https://www.nsfamilylaw.ca/family-violence

Nunavut
Family Abuse Intervention Act Program

PO Box 1000 Stn. 510
Iqaluit NU X0A 0H0

On Call Number: 1-844-534-1038

Victim Services

Telephone: 1-866-456-5216
Email: victimservices@gov.nu.ca

Spousal Abuse Counseling Program

Telephone: 867-645-3785
Email: sap1@northwestel.net

Ontario

Victim Support Line / Victim Services Directory

Toll free: 1-888-579-2888
Telephone (Greater Toronto Area): 416-314-2447
Website: https://ovss.findhelp.ca/

Prince Edward Island
Supervised Parenting Time and Exchange Program

Family Court Counsellors’ Office
Honourable C.R. McQuaid Family Law Centre
1 Harbourside Access Road
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
Telephone: 902-368-6928
Fax: 902-368-6934
Email: fcco@gov.pe.ca

Quebec

For information on family justice services in Quebec

Website: https://www.quebec.ca/en/family-and-support-for-individuals/violence

Saskatchewan

Supervised parenting time with Children

Family Justice Services Branch

Saskatoon

Telephone: 306-933-5930

Regina

Telephone: 306-787-9416

Yukon

Independent Legal Advice (ILA)

Victim Services, Department of Justice, Government of Yukon

Email: victim.services@yukon.ca
Website: https://yukon.ca/en/get-legal-advice-victims-intimate-partner-violence-or-sexualized-assault

Whitehorse

301 Jarvis Street, 2nd floor
Telephone: 867-667-8500
Toll free: 1-800-661-0408, extension 8500

Dawson City

813B 3rd Avenue
Telephone: 867-993-5831

Watson Lake

820 Adela Trail
Telephone: 867-536-2541