Chapter 6: Victim Services

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Victims of crime^{Footnote 250} in Canada, including victims of human trafficking offences, have rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR). The CVBR defines a victim as an individual who has suffered physical or emotional harm, economic loss or property damage, as a result of a crime committed in Canada. All victims may exercise their rights under the CVBR while they are in Canada. Canadian citizens or permanent residents may exercise these rights even if they are outside of Canada, as long as the crime took place in Canada.

The CVBR grants victims of crime the right to information, participation, protection and the right to seek restitution. The CVBR also gives victims the right to make a complaint if they feel that their rights have been infringed or denied.

Right to Information

Victims have the right, on request, to information about the criminal justice system, their role in it, and available victim services and programs. They also have the right, on request, to specific information about the progress of their case, including information relating to the investigation, prosecution, and sentencing of the person who harmed them.

Right to Participation

Victims have the right to convey their views about decisions being made by criminal justice professionals that affect their rights under the CVBR. As noted in Chapter 5, victims also have the right to present a victim impact statement at sentencing to describe the effect the crime had on them and to have that statement considered.

Right to Protection

Victims have the right to have their security and privacy considered at all stages of the criminal justice process, to have reasonable and necessary measures taken to protect them from intimidation and retaliation, to request that their identity be protected from public disclosure and to request testimonial aids when appearing as a witness. For additional information on some of these measures, see Chapter 4.

Right to Seek Restitution

Victims have the right to have the court consider making a restitution order against the offender for specific financial losses due to the crime. They also have the right to enter an unpaid restitution order as an enforceable civil debt. For additional information about restitution, see Chapter 5.

Complaints under the CVBR

The CVBR also allows victims to make a complaint if they believe their rights have been infringed or denied by a federal department or agency using the complaint systems in that department or agency (subsection 25(1)). If they remain unsatisfied with the response, they can take their complaint to any authority that has jurisdiction to review complaints in relation to that federal department or agency (subsection 25(2)). Victims who feel as though their rights have been infringed or denied by a provincial or territorial department, agency or body can file a complaint in accordance with the laws of that province or territory (section 26).

These rights apply at all stages of the criminal process, including when an offence is being investigated or prosecuted, when the offender is subject to the corrections or conditional release process, and when the accused is subject to a court or review board’s jurisdiction if they are found unfit to stand trial or not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. Victims’ rights are to be applied in a reasonable manner so that they are not likely to interfere with investigations or prosecutions, endanger someone’s life or safety, or injure national interests such as national security.

Since 1988, criminal justice professionals have been guided by the Canadian Statement of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime in their interactions with victims. The Statement was endorsed by federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Justice in 1988 and 2003, and recognized the harmful impact of criminal victimization on individuals and on society. This document is closely aligned with the CVBR, and both continue to guide interactions with victims.

While not every victim will choose to access services, it is important that each victim is made aware of the range of available services. This is particularly true for victims of trafficking offences, due to the exploitation inherent in such offences and the extreme conditions that victims of trafficking typically endure, often for prolonged periods of time.

Many victims of crime benefit from services, but victims of serious and violent crimes, such as human trafficking, may have the greatest need. Access to specialized anti-human trafficking supports and services are critical to foster stability and help victims exit, heal and rebuild their lives. However, victims of trafficking may also be more reluctant to seek or accept services for a number of reasons, including: distrust of police; fear of reprisal from traffickers; fear of being persecuted or charged for associated criminal activity while involved in the trafficking situation (e.g., substance abuse, recruitment, luring/grooming peers), not self-identifying as having experienced human trafficking, including if they are not aware of what human trafficking is or, if they fear stigma as a result of their experiences. Indigenous and racialized victims of human trafficking may be less likely to seek support due to barriers when accessing services made available to the general public, such as experiencing systemic discrimination, stigma, and further isolation within and from mainstream support systems to which they are directed.

Various aspects of individuals’ personal characteristics, background, and beliefs, including forms of oppression, may impact how an individual experiences human trafficking (including exploitation and recovery), and the intersection of socio-economic factors may increase an individual’s risk of being targeted and/or trafficked. Indigenous communities and individuals and racialized groups have an increased risk of being targeted by traffickers as a result of a number of intersecting factors.

Intersecting factors contributing to the disproportionate representation of Indigenous women and girls among those who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation include systemic racism, violence against Indigenous women and girls, inter-generational trauma from colonization (e.g., Indian Residential Schools), lack of access to social and economic resources, colonial assimilation policies and marginalization of Indigenous women via the Indian Act. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls emphasized that Indigenous people, particularly women and girls, are especially vulnerable to trafficking for sexual exploitation due to the legacy and intersection of colonialism, intergenerational trauma and systemic discrimination, including intergenerational poverty and inequitable access to basic services. In addition, a recent study in Ontario has shown that youth involved in the child welfare system are vastly overrepresented as victims of human trafficking.^{Footnote 251} Indigenous children are significantly overrepresented in the child welfare system as a result of historical and ongoing colonial and assimilation policies. Indigenous children account for 52.2 percent of children in foster care while making up only 7.7 per cent of children in Canada according to the 2016 census by Statistics Canada.

The various interrelated factors that result in increased targeting by traffickers are exacerbated by the extreme conditions experienced by trafficking victims, including isolation from family and social supports, manipulation, control, repeated assaults and/or sexual assaults or threats of such crimes to themselves and their families. For this reason, it is particularly important that all criminal justice personnel are aware of available services to ensure that every opportunity is taken to connect victims of human trafficking with appropriate supports. Given the disproportionate impact human trafficking has on Indigenous communities, criminal justice personnel should be aware of the unique histories of Indigenous Peoples, as well as culturally-responsive services and supports available for victims of human trafficking.

6.1 Victim Services

Responsibility for providing services to victims of crime is shared by the federal, provincial and territorial governments, with the majority of services for victims of crime provided by the provinces and territories. Services for victims can be provided by police, provinces/territories, non-governmental organizations and the federal government, depending on where the case is in the process.

Each of the provinces and territories has established services for victims of crime in accordance with their provincial/territorial victims’ legislation, and each has developed a model of service delivery that it considers most suited to the needs of victims in their jurisdiction. Models for the delivery of victim services include:

• Court-based services, which are provided to victims during their participation in criminal proceedings and can include providing information about the criminal justice process, the victim’s role in criminal proceedings, the scheduling and outcomes of proceedings and testimonial aids, as well as court preparation and assistance to victims with victim impact statements
• System-based services, which include a range of victim services from the time of the offence through to the conclusion of court proceedings and their aftermath. Depending on the jurisdiction(s) involved, services can include referrals for counselling, court preparation and support, information about available compensation or financial benefits programs, the outcome of criminal proceedings and how to register for information on offender release if the offender is incarcerated
• Police-based services, which provide support, information, referrals and assistance to victims of crime through the RCMP, provincial police forces and/or local police forces or detachments, sometimes in partnership with community agencies and non-governmental organizations. Police-based services often focus on providing assistance or referrals for assistance in the immediate aftermath of the crime
• Community-based services, which provide support, information and assistance to victims, may take many forms, including generalized support for victims of crime or specialized services for victims of particular crimes such as sexual assault, domestic violence or human trafficking. These services are delivered by non-governmental organizations and may be able to offer longer-term recovery supports as well

Further information on the types of services offered by each province and territory is provided below.^{Footnote 252} Depending on the model of service delivery, services that may benefit victims of trafficking offences may be offered directly by the provincial or territorial government, or may be funded by the provincial/territorial government and provided by a community-based organization. Whatever the model of service delivery, provincial/territorial victim services should always be contacted to determine which services are available and most appropriate for a victim of a human trafficking offence. In addition, the Victims Services Directory, created and maintained by the Department of Justice, lists services available to victims of crime across Canada: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/vsd-rsv/index.html.

Collaboration among police, prosecutors and victim serving organizations is essential to ensuring that victims of trafficking know about and receive appropriate support. Victims who receive appropriate services are better able to heal and cope with the trauma they have experienced and more likely to develop a support system as they rebuild their lives. This support can also assist in mitigating the potentially traumatic or re‑traumatizing experience of participating in criminal justice proceedings.

6.2 Provincial Victim Service Programs

6.2.1 British Columbia

Part of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Branch (CSCP) provides an extensive network of programs and services for victims of crime across British Columbia. These programs comprise contracted services as well as programs delivered directly by CSCP.

Contracted Services for Victims of Crime

• VictimLinkBC is a toll-free multilingual, confidential service available across British Columbia and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is accessible by telephone, text, and email. It provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services
• Police Based Victim Service programs serve victims of all types of crime and trauma and assist police and communities in situations involving multiple injuries or deaths. These programs operate out of British Columbia’s RCMP detachments and municipal police departments
• Community-Based Victim Service programs serve victims of family and sexual violence, ethno-specific and diverse communities, children and Indigenous people and operate out of non-profit organizations
  • This includes nine Domestic Violence Units across the province. The Domestic Violence Units are an evidence-based model of co-located service delivery that pairs dedicated police officer(s), with community‑based victim services and, in some communities, a child protection worker to improve case coordination and collaboration in highest risk cases of domestic violence
• Stopping the Violence Counselling programs provide individual and group counselling for women who have experienced childhood abuse, sexual assault and violence in their relationships
• Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling and Empowerment (PEACE) programs serve children and youth, aged three to 18 years (and their non‑offending caregiver), who have experienced abuse, threats or violence in the home
• Outreach programs help women and children identify and access the services they need by providing supportive counselling, information, referrals, accompaniment and transportation to other services
• Multicultural Outreach Programs provide service in up to 24 languages to ensure immigrant and visible minority women and children receive assistance by workers who speak their own language and are familiar with their culture
• Sexual Assault Services Programs provide coordination services, including direct supports, and/or counselling services to survivors of sexual assault. Legal Support: CSCP contracts Legal Services Society of British Columbia for independent legal counsel to sexual assault victims to respond to applications by the accused for disclosure of their personal information/records (e.g., counselling/medical records)
• Medical Forensic Protocol: CSCP and the Ministry of Health have in place a payment protocol for medical forensic evidence in cases where the victim/patient has not involved the police. This protocol helps to ensure that victims of a sexual assault are provided with sufficient time to make decisions about justice system involvement when they attend a health care facility

Victim Services Delivered by CSCP

• The Crime Victim Assistance Program is a financial benefits program to assist victims, immediate family members, and some witnesses in dealing with the effects of violent crime. The Crime Victim Assistance Program helps to offset financial loss and aid recovery from the impacts of crime. Benefits include counselling, protective measures, and income support
• The Victim Safety Unit provides safety and notification services to higher risk victims and works with Victim Service Programs to ensure victims are aware of and have access to safety services. Once registered with the Unit, victims can receive ongoing information while an accused is in the community (on bail or probation) and in custody in a provincial correctional institution
• Victim Court Support Programs provide victims, witnesses and their families with information and support through the justice process by coordinating between victim service and justice system personnel (e.g., Crown)
• The Restitution Program assists victims of crime who have experienced financial loss and have unpaid restitution orders
• The British Columbia Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) provides dedicated support to the families of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls to meet their information and referral needs. With office locations in both Vancouver and Prince George, the BC FILU operates as a mobile unit and FILU staff will travel to meet families in their home communities throughout the province. Services are available to all family members (blood and non-blood relations). Families may access services directly, or through referral

For more information on Victim Service programs in British Columbia, please visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/understanding-criminal-justice/key-parts/victim-services/victim-service-programs

6.2.2 Alberta

Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services operates two core programs for victims of crime:

• A grant program that provides funding to police-based and community and specialized programs offering information, support and referrals to victims throughout their involvement with the criminal justice process
• A Victim Assistance Program for eligible victims who have been impacted as a result of a violent crime

Police-based Services

Alberta provides funding to police-based victims services operating throughout the province. Services provided to victims include emotional support, information about their case and criminal justice proceedings, referrals to other community agencies and courtroom orientation and accompaniment. Police-based programs also provide victims of crime with information about completing victim impact statements, requesting restitution, and applying for the Victim Assistance Program. These programs provide a continuum of services to victims from the time of first response by police to the disposition of the case by the courts.

Community and Specialized Programs

Funding agreements with community organizations and specialized programs are in place to deliver specialized assistance and programming to victims of crime including for vulnerable victims such as children, elders and those subjected to human trafficking.

Human Trafficking

Funding is provided to organizations providing front-line services to victims of human trafficking across Alberta. The Ministry website provides information and resources on help for survivors and victims such as links to additional services, courses and applications for human trafficking protection orders.

Domestic Violence

Organizations serving communities throughout Alberta are funded to provide specialized services to victims of domestic and family violence. There are also currently two Domestic Violence Justice Response programs in Alberta, in Edmonton and Calgary. These programs provide enhanced services and a collaborative response to victims of intimate partner violence and ensure they are supported through the criminal justice processes.

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault services are funded throughout the province to provide specialized direct supports for victims of sexual assault and help survivors of sexual violence navigate the criminal justice system.

Children and Youth

Child and Youth Advocacy Centres are specialized programs that partner with victim advocates, law enforcement, child protection, medical and mental health professionals to provide a coordinated response to address the needs of children and youth who have experienced abuse and their families.

Clare’s Law

The Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act, gives people who feel at risk of domestic violence a way to get information about their partners so they can make informed choices about their safety. Victim serving organizations in Alberta can assist and support victims through this process.

Language supports for victims of crime

Funded victim serving organizations can access tele-interpreter services through CanTalk so they have immediate access to interpretation services in over 110 languages to assist in their service delivery to victims.

Restitution

Victims can submit a Statement of Restitution for consideration by the judge during sentencing if a person is found guilty of a crime. The form and guidelines are available on the Ministry’s website and victim services providers can assist in submitting a Statement of Restitution.

The Restitution Recovery Program provides assistance to victims who opt-in to the program to recover unpaid portions of Court ordered restitution on their behalf if the offender has not paid by the specified due date.

Victim Impact Statements

Victim Impact Statements give victims an opportunity to tell the court how they have been affected by a crime. A victim impact statement will be considered by a judge during sentencing if the accused has been found guilty. In addition to the forms being available on the Ministry’s website, victim serving organizations across the province can provide the forms and assist with any questions.

Community Impact Statements

Community Impact Statements are a chance to let the judge know how a community has been harmed because of a crime. The judge will consider the statement during sentencing if the accused has been found guilty. The forms are available on the Ministry’s website and from victim serving organizations across the province who can also assist with any questions.

Services for Indigenous Victims

The Victims Services FILU is a single point of contact for families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The unit helps families find information about the justice system and legal processes, updates and counselling and other supports.

For further information on services for victims of crime in Alberta and contact information please visit: www.alberta.ca/help-for-victims-of-crime.aspx

Victims of Crime Assistance Program

The Victims of Crime Assistance Program provides direct services and supports to eligible victims of violent crimes including:

• Emergency financial assistance following a violent crime for urgently required needs
• Counselling services provides immediate access to short-term crisis supports or transitional specialized counselling to help deal with psychological impacts of a crime
• Physical injury supports and services provide extended medical benefit services or severe injury benefits to help with treatment of physical injuries related to the crime
• Specific to victims of Human Trafficking, the Victims of Crime Assistance Program includes available supports for emergency temporary accommodation and relocation expenses

Victims may be eligible for emergency assistance if they were the victim of a serious Criminal Code offence that occurred in Alberta. They must report the crime to police within a reasonable period of time. Applications must be received within two years of the date of the incident; however, this time limit may be extended in extenuating circumstances. Charges do not have to be laid, or a conviction registered to apply for the program.

For further information on Alberta’s Victims of Crime Assistance Program please visit: www.alberta.ca/programs-for-victims-of-crime.aspx

6.2.3 Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General funds or directly delivers a range of services for victims of crime and traumatic events throughout the province. The Ministry’s mandate for victim services falls primarily under its Victims Services Unit. Community-based organizations are funded to deliver many of the services for victims in Saskatchewan. Some specialized programs and services for victims are also funded and supported by the Ministry’s Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Unit. Services include:

• Police-based Services to assist victims in the immediate aftermath of a crime or tragedy and throughout the criminal justice process, including crisis intervention, information, support, advocacy, and referral, as well as court related services
• Victim/Witness Services Program provides court orientation and support to children and other vulnerable witnesses who are required to testify in court. Programs are based in regional Prosecutions offices, and services are available province wide
• Victims Compensation Program reimburses victims for reasonable expenses resulting from criminal acts of personal violence. Victims may apply for compensation for harm resulting from a Criminal Code offence of personal violence, listed in the Victims of Crime Regulations, 1997, including personal violence such as robbery, sex crimes, assault causing bodily harm, manslaughter, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, trafficking in persons, and trafficking of a person under the age of eighteen years old. The crime must have occurred in Saskatchewan and been reported to the police. Applications must be made within two years from the date of injury, or in the case of sexual assault, within two years from the date the offence was reported to police. Compensable expenses include medical costs such as ambulance and prescriptions not covered by another plan; counselling, including Indigenous healing methods; funeral expenses to a maximum of $5,000 where not covered by other programs; loss of income where it is not covered by Employment Insurance, Workers' Compensation, or an insurance plan; and clothing damaged as a result of the crime
• Victim Impact Statement Program makes it possible for victims to complete a victim impact statement to be considered by the judge at the time of an offender’s sentencing. The form and guidelines for completing a victim impact statement as well as a Community Impact Statement are available on the Ministry’s website. Local victim services programs also provide the forms and assist victims with the process

Specialized victim services:

A variety of specialized services for victims of crime are available in Saskatchewan.

• Domestic violence:
  • Domestic Violence Victim Services provide specialized supports to victims of domestic violence after a report, including for those victims involved in the specialized Domestic Violence Court processes that operate in those cities
  • Transition House services are funded in 11 communities to provide emergency accommodation and support for women who are victims of interpersonal violence and abuse and their children
  • Family Violence Outreach services are funded in 14 communities to assist women who may not use a shelter or need help in accessing a shelter or other services. Services include supporting women, children and families in violent or potentially violent circumstances, and education on abuse and information about services available in the community
• Child victims:
  • Children Exposed to Violence programs are funded in ten communities. These programs assist children and youth who have witnessed or experienced interpersonal violence or abuse (including human trafficking), with a goal of preventing them from becoming future victims or perpetrators of violence and abuse
  • Child and Youth Advocacy Centres are child-friendly facilities that support integrated investigations of child abuse. Each centre is operated, managed, and funded jointly by staff of the local police service and the Ministry of Social Services. Each centre has one Victim Services Responder assigned to it from the local police-based victim services program to provide specialized, on-site support to victims and their families. The Regina centre also has access to a Facility Dog through Regina Police Service to assist in supporting children and families
• Sexual assault:
  • Sexual Assault Services are funded in 17 communities and may include a 24-hour crisis telephone line, direct supports, and counseling for victims
• Services for Indigenous Victims:
  • Indigenous Resource Officer positions are funded within six police‑based victim services programs to support Indigenous victims of crime and their families
  • Indigenous Family Violence Programs are funded in six locations to help Indigenous families living in urban areas deal with violence and abuse
  • A FILU was established with federal project funding to assist families with finding the information they seek about their murdered or missing loved ones. The FILU collaborates with Indigenous and non-Indigenous agencies to support families in a trauma‑informed, culturally sensitive manner and acts as a referral to other mental health supports in the community
• Services for Families of Missing Persons
  • Missing Persons Liaisons support families of missing persons in their respective police-based victim services units in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. They also identify best/promising practices, develop training materials, and provide expertise, advice, and training to all other police‑based victim services units in Saskatchewan. Other supports for families of missing persons include specialized counselling and support groups to address the unique needs of families of missing persons, including the uncertainty of ambiguous loss
  • Specialized Services including counselling sessions for families of missing Indigenous women and girls and other missing persons, educational sessions for professionals and family members, and homicide support groups
• Language Translation Services: Victims Services Branch holds an agreement with CanTalk Inc. to provide immediate, phone-based interpretation and translation services in over 200 languages for police-based victim services, domestic violence victim services, and victim/witnesses services programs. This provides programs the ability to communicate with victims when language is a challenge
• Restitution: The Ministry assists victims in preparing a Statement on Restitution to be considered by the judge at the time of an offender’s sentencing. The form and guidelines for completing a Statement on Restitution are available on the Ministry’s website. Local victim services programs also provide the forms and assist victims with the process. Once restitution has been ordered by the court, victims are assisted in collecting restitution by two programs:
  • The Adult Restitution Program, working within criminal justice processes, provides information to victims about restitution, monitors payments and works with offenders to help ensure payments are made, and works with probation officers to enforce restitution orders
  • The Restitution Civil Enforcement Program assists victims with enforcing restitution orders through civil processes. Victims can authorize the program to use civil measures to collect the restitution on their behalf
• Transportation: ensures victims of violence across the province can access places of safety and sexual assault kits, by providing them with transportation (taxi, shuttle, air) and vouchers for essential supplies like formula, clothing, and sundries
• Saskatchewan has also made recent legislative changes to better serve victims of crime:
  • The Protection from Human Trafficking Act provides further safeguards for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Victims can apply for a protection order on their own or be assisted by a shelter employee, a medical professional, or another prescribed individual. The legislation also enables victims to initiate a lawsuit against their traffickers and to seek financial compensation for harm suffered. Other measures include new provisions for law enforcement to seek search warrants for residences or vehicles to locate a victim and remove them from the premises for safety reasons
  • The Children’s Law Act was amended to align with The Divorce Act. Amendments to both Acts require family violence and its effects to be considered when making parenting arrangements
  • Amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act, provides survivors of intimate partner violence with five days paid leave and a further five days’ unpaid leave which allows survivors more financial security as they leave violent relationships
  • Amendments to The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Amendment Act allow renters to end fixed-term tenancy agreements with 28 days’ notice without penalty if they are intimate partner violence or sexual violence victims or victims of human trafficking and continue to be at risk
  • Amendments to The Privacy Act allows a person whose intimate image(s) have been distributed without their consent to sue the person who distributed the image. It also shifts the onus of proof to the person that circulated the image, requiring them to show that they had a reasonable basis to conclude consent had been granted to do so
  • The Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol (Clare’s Law) Act allows police to disclose information that could help protect potential victims of interpersonal violence. Saskatchewan residents can make an application to their local RCMP or municipal police service for the release of information on an intimate partner’s past violent or abusive behaviour

For more information on the range of victim services offered by Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and contact information please see the following links: www.saskatchewan.ca/VictimsServices & https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/justice-crime-and-the-law/victims-of-crime-and-abuse/interpersonal-violence-and-abuse-programs

6.2.4 Manitoba

Manitoba Justice provides services to victims of domestic violence, child victims, witnesses and victims of the most serious crimes as specified under Manitoba’s The Victims’ Bill of Rights Act, and families of missing and murdered Indigenous persons.

The Victims’ Bill of Rights Act includes the offence of human trafficking as well as offences often committed against trafficking victims such as assault, aggravated assault, sexual assault and procuring persons under 18 years to provide sexual services.

The Victims’ Bill of Rights Act specifies the rights of victims of the most serious crimes in their dealings with police, prosecutors, courts and corrections officials. Victim-services workers help victims register for their rights and explain how and when they may exercise them.

The types of services provided to victims by Manitoba Justice Victim Services include providing information on court and the criminal justice system; information on what to expect when a victim receives a subpoena for court; court preparation; court support; safety planning and protection planning; counselling referrals; information on possible financial assistance that may be available to victims of crime; information about victim impact statements and guidance on how to prepare them; information on the offender’s sentence once convicted, and how to contact the correctional facility if the offender receives a jail sentence; information on how to find out about the offender’s release from a provincial jail; and information on how to register with the Parole Board of Canada(PBC), if the offender is sentenced to a federal institution.

Victim services may provide support to victims of human trafficking through a variety of programs. Victim services programs include:

• Victim Rights Support Service, which deals with criminal court cases involving victims of serious crimes as defined under Manitoba’s The Victims' Bill of Rights. Victim service workers guide victims through the process of dealing with police, prosecutions, courts and corrections officials, and advise about victims’ options, rights and responsibilities under the Bill
• Child Victim Support Service helps victims and witnesses of abuse (up to 18 years of age), adult survivors of sexual abuse and other vulnerable victims (on a case-by-case basis) who are involved in the criminal court process
• Domestic Violence Support Service helps victims of domestic violence when criminal charges have been laid, or may be laid against their partners. Victim Service Workers explain the cycle of violence, how the cycle may affect victims and their families and how to escape from it. They also help victims to develop protection plans to increase their personal safety. The Domestic Violence Support Service also provides support to families who receive police services for domestic violence incidents that do not result in charges or arrests (Winnipeg only)
• Protection Order Designates Service The Domestic Violence and Stalking Act authorizes victims of stalking or domestic violence to apply for protective orders. Victim services provides training to community service agencies so that they may be designated to assist protection-order applicants
• Cellphone Emergency Limited Link-Up Program, a co-operative effort between Bell MTS, social services agencies, police services and Manitoba Justice, provides cellphones on a short-term basis to victims of domestic violence and stalking who are deemed to be at very high risk of violence. A provincial coordinator, in cooperation with 27 social-service agencies throughout the province, manages the Cellphone Emergency Limited Link-Up program
• The Victim Witness Assistance Program provides support services to crime victims and witnesses who are subpoenaed to appear in either Provincial Court or Court of Queen's Bench in Winnipeg. Services to victims and witnesses include: written correspondence with the Crown attorney about a victim’s specific case concerns; information and guidance on how to prepare victim impact statements; court preparation; accompaniment to court; court cancellation notifications, and reimbursement of expense claims

Further information about the programs offered by Manitoba Justice Victim Services and contact information may be found at: www.gov.mb.ca/justice/victims/index.html.

The Compensation for Victims of Crime program provides compensation to victims who suffer personal injury, hardships or expenses as a result of crimes listed in the Victims’ Rights Regulation of The Victims Bill of Rights Act. The program is also available to specific relatives and dependants of victims of homicide in Manitoba. Compensation may cover reasonable expenses (not already covered by another source) resulting from a crime, such as payment of medical expenses and counselling services, compensation for lost wages for victims who have been disabled or for dependants of victims who were fatally injured, support payments for dependents, payment for rehabilitation or retraining, compensation for permanent disability and payment of funeral expenses.

For further information on Manitoba’s Compensation for Crime Victims program please visit: https://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/vs/cvc/index.html.

Victim services particularly helpful for some victims of human trafficking include explaining the criminal court process and procedures, court preparation (including a visit to the courtroom to help familiarize them with their surroundings and make them feel more comfortable); identifying special needs and the potential for aids to help with testimony; attending court with witnesses, when possible; scheduling meetings with Crown attorneys to discuss any special issues; arranging short-term counselling; providing emotional support; providing referrals to community resources, such as therapists or treatment programs and providing information and guidance on how to prepare victim impact statements.

Additionally, the Manitoba government is providing $3 million in funding to the Clan Mothers, a grassroots, Indigenous women-led organization to support the construction of a healing village, which will provide supports for women who have been victims of multi-generational trauma, sexual violence, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

6.2.5 Ontario

The Government of Ontario offers and supports a number of programs and services to assist victims of crime, some with specialized supports for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Police and a wide range of community-based organizations also provide specialized services to meet the needs of victims of crime in Ontario. Some of the programs and services offered in Ontario that assist victims and survivors of human trafficking include:

• The Victim Support Line is a province-wide, multilingual, toll-free information line providing a range of services to victims of crime 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An online chat option is also available Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern Time
• Talk 4 Healing is an Indigenous-specific, toll-free talking / texting / chatting crisis service that provides supports to Indigenous women across Ontario 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service offers supports in 14 languages, including 13 Indigenous languages
• The Victim Notification Service provides access to information on changes in release status of provincially sentenced offenders
• The Victim Services Directory is an online database that provides information about services for victims of crime throughout Ontario
• The Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario Program provides crisis intervention, immediate support and assistance to survivors of crime 24 hours a day, seven days a week, province-wide. Services offered by Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario Program providers include enhanced support to vulnerable survivors of crime, safety planning, needs assessments and customized service plans, assisting survivors to access supports through the Victim Quick Response Program+, and making referrals to appropriate community agencies for longer-term assistance
• The Victim Quick Response Program+ offers supports to survivors, their immediate family members and witnesses in the immediate aftermath of violent crimes by providing short-term financial support with essential expenses, including counselling and home safety supports, in order to lessen the impact of crime, enhance safety, and meet immediate practical needs arising from the commission of the crime
  • Survivors of human trafficking are able to access additional supports, including tattoo/branding removal and residential treatment, as well as increased financial maximums for supports
  • Survivors can access this program through one of 55 service providers (47 Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario Program organizations, 5 Indigenous communities and organizations, and 3 police-based organizations). Criminal charges do not need to be laid in order for a survivor to access this program
• The community-based Child Victim Witness Program provides assistance to child victims/witnesses under eighteen (18) years of age who may be required to testify in court, often in cases of physical or sexual abuse, or intimate partner violence. The Program provides sensitive, informed, and effective assistance to child witnesses to lessen the trauma of communicating evidence in court
• The community-based Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres provide a variety of counselling, information and referral services to female victims and survivors of sexual assault who are 16 years of age or older
• The Victim/Witness Assistance Program is a court-based program providing information, assistance and support to victims and witnesses of crime to increase their understanding of, and participation in, the criminal court process. Services include information about victims’ rights, the criminal justice process, and a victim’s specific case; trial preparation and court orientation; needs assessment and referrals to appropriate agencies; crisis intervention and emotional support; victim advocacy; information and assistance; and referrals to community agencies. Services begin once police lay charge(s) and continue until the court case is over. Services are voluntary and are free
  • Victim/Witness Assistance Program has six Victim Witness Services Workers dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking throughout their involvement in the criminal court process. These workers are stationed in courthouses which see high volumes of human trafficking prosecutions
  • These dedicated Victim Witness Services Workers share their experience with and provide guidance to Victim/Witness Assistance Program staff in other locations and work with Crowns to ensure that the needs of human trafficking survivors are met
• The Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund provides financial support to vulnerable victims, including survivors of human trafficking. The fund improves access to court proceedings and information for vulnerable victims of crime, families of homicide victims, and families of motor vehicle fatality victims resulting in Criminal Code charges, and increases participation of vulnerable victims in the criminal court process. Survivors of human trafficking are eligible to apply for additional supports under the Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund. Information about Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund and eligibility is available through the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victim/Witness Assistance Program
• Indigenous-specific Victim Services programs, which are designed and developed using a culturally-relevant and trauma-informed approach, are delivered by 24 Indigenous communities and organizations across Ontario. Indigenous-specific Victim Services programs provide supports specifically designed for Indigenous Survivors, and consider factors such as language barriers, the remote geographic location of communities, and the legacy of assimilative laws and policies aimed at the destruction of Indigenous families and communities. Victims and survivors of human trafficking are able to access culturally-relevant services that meet their needs and support their family and community members
• The FILU assists families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls to access information related to the loss of their loved ones. The FILU serves as a direct link between families and government agencies and is intended to give families a centralized resource to gather the information they are seeking efficiently and in a culturally supportive manner
• In Ontario, FILU staff are housed in Indigenous organizations that provide health and cultural services to communities and are staffed by Indigenous community members who have years of experience working with Indigenous women and girls. The FILU in Ontario has innovated a process called “Family Circles,” which connect families directly with investigating coroners, investigating police officers, and crown prosecutors where relevant, so that families can ask questions and gather and understand information relating to their loved one’s case
• Free Legal Support Programs for Survivors of Human Trafficking. There are two types of legal supports available to victims of human trafficking:
  • Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Program: A victim or survivor of sexual assault sixteen years of age or older living in Ontario, including a victim or survivor of human trafficking who has experienced sexual violence, may be eligible to speak to an independent lawyer for up to four hours by phone or video chat. This advice can help to inform what options are available, including but not limited to proceeding through the criminal justice system to hold the offender(s) to account. This service is confidential and is available any time after a sexual assault has occurred. Information is available at https://www.ontario.ca/page/independent-legal-advice-sexual-assault-victims or by calling 1-855-226-3904
  • Free Legal Support Program for Victims of Human Trafficking: The program provides confidential legal advice and support to victims of human trafficking, as well as their parents/guardians and Customary Caregivers of child victims or children at risk. The program assists victims to access supports to provide for their emotional and physical safety while applying a trauma-informed approach; and empowering victims and survivors to determine and control the processes, services, and supports they choose to engage with. This support includes:
    • providing confidential legal advice to victims of human trafficking and to parents, guardians, or Customary Caregivers of child victims
    • providing legal representation on applications for restraining orders on behalf of Applicants as appropriate
    • assisting victims to access supports to provide for their emotional and physical safety and to apply a trauma-informed approach to victims
    • conducting outreach and education to build awareness and knowledge of the Legal Support Program and how to access it, and on the relevant legislation and regulations as Program Counsel’s time allows
    • liaising with legal representatives, community and legal organizations, Children's Aid Societies, victim support organizations, social service providers, ministry partners, and other anti-human trafficking stakeholders

    This program can be accessed by calling the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010.

• Community-based anti-human trafficking programs and services for victims and survivors of human trafficking, including survivor-led programming, long-term recovery programs, outreach, education and prevention programs, emergency and crisis-response support, residential placement and treatment programs, peer support, health services, legal education/legal system navigation, and wraparound support services. Services also include dedicated supports for children and youth who have been sexually exploited
• Indigenous-led, community-based anti-human trafficking services and supports that are designed for, and by First Nation, Métis, Inuit and urban Indigenous organizations and communities, including 2SLGBTQQIA+ survivors. Services include wraparound services (e.g., emergency shelter, bed, transportation, food, and trauma-informed, culturally respectful care), survivor's circles, counselling, specialized staff, comprehensive programs that incorporate traditional Indigenous teachings, survivor-informed outreach services and supports, treatment services, community engagement and regional working groups. Services also include dedicated supports for Indigenous children and youth who have been sexually exploited
• Children at Risk of Exploitation Units are specialized intervention teams that pair police officers and child protection workers (including Indigenous child protection workers) to identify, investigate, locate and engage children and youth who are victims of child sex trafficking, connect them to services and investigate offenders. Children at Risk of Exploitation Units are currently operating in the City of Toronto and Durham Region
• Specialized licensed children’s residences for trafficked youth provide community-based, residential accommodation and access to wraparound trauma-informed, non-stigmatizing services and supports for children and youth who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation. Residences are located in the City of Toronto and north of Durham Region and each home can accommodate up to six children and youth ages 12-17 at time of admission
• The Special Priority Policy, for households with current or recent experience of domestic abuse or human trafficking, gives them priority access to Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing or Portable Housing Benefits. The Governments of Canada and Ontario also provide funding to help survivors of human trafficking in Ontario through transitional housing and rent assistance
• Human Trafficking Youth-in -Transition Workers provide human‑trafficking specific supports and referrals to youth in and transitioning from the care of children’s aid societies who are at-risk of, or are survivors of, human trafficking

On June 3, 2021, the Combating Human Trafficking Act received Royal Assent with Schedules being brought into force at varying dates. The Act is the first of its kind in Canada, as it requires the Province of Ontario to maintain an anti-human trafficking strategy and review/update the strategy every 5 years, with regard to specific principles and consultation requirements.

The Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Office oversees the development, implementation and review of Ontario’s response to human trafficking including the mandated provincial strategy and associated anti-human trafficking efforts and initiatives — across the provincial government, among the community partners and Indigenous communities and organizations, and with other jurisdictions/levels of government.

Information about dedicated services and supports across Ontario that help victims, survivors and persons at risk of human trafficking can be found at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/human-trafficking-services-and-supports

Information about other programs and services for victims of crime generally may be found at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-help-if-you-are-experiencing-violence

6.2.6 Québec

The Quebec Ministry of Justice is responsible for the Office for Victims of Crime or Bureau dédié à l’aide aux personnes victimes d’infractions criminelles (BAVAC) and the Victims of Crime Fund or Fonds d’aide aux personnes victimes d’infractions criminelles (FAVAC). These promote the rights of victims and the assistance and support services available to them. BAVAC also ensures that victims’ rights are protected.

In terms of direct services, BAVAC and FAVAC are responsible for the establishment of Crime Victims Assistance Centres or l’établissement de centres d’aide aux victimes d’actes criminels (CAVAC) through funding and technical and professional assistance. CAVACs are non-profit community organizations that participate in the implementation of the Quebec Victims Assistance Program by offering a wide range of services throughout Quebec on a free, confidential and voluntary basis.

Services provided by the CAVACs include:

• legal support, including information on the various procedures, including the stages of the legal process and the role and responsibility of victims as witnesses
• information on rights and remedies
• technical assistance, in particular for filling out a claim for compensation
• post-traumatic and psychosocial intervention
• referral and support to specialised services

It should be noted that the CAVAC Network will establish in the coming months a team specialized in supporting victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

In addition, FAVAC provides funding for various programs and services through its grant program to promote research, information, awareness and training in the area of assistance for victims of criminal offences, as well as through funding for various other organizations such as the Montreal Sexual Assault Centre (Sexual Violence Info-Help Line), the Marie-Vincent Foundation, SOS Violence Conjugale and the Restorative Justice Services Centre.

Specialized court for sexual violence and spousal abuse

On November 26, 2021, legislation to establish a specialized court for sexual and domestic violence was unanimously adopted by the Quebec National Assembly. The purpose of this law is to implement a pilot project for a specialized court over a period of four years. This court aims to improve the support and experience of victims in the judicial process and victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking will be able to access it.

For further information on Victims Services in Quebec please see:

https://cavac.qc.ca/.

Compensation

The Act to assist victims of criminal offences and promote their recovery (La Loi visant à aider les personnes victimes d’infractions criminelles et à favoriser leur rétablissement) recognises the rights of victims and puts in place measures to meet their needs in order to promote their recovery. It provides for various financial assistance that can be paid to victims. Victim not only includes the person who suffers a violation of their integrity as a result of the commission of a criminal offence against them, but also their parent, child, spouse, dependant and relatives. A witness to the commission of a criminal offence or to the crime scene may also be recognised as a victim.

Any person who has been the victim of an offence against the person may apply to the Quebec Crime Victims Compensation Branch. The criminal offence may have been committed in Quebec or outside Quebec. The application must be made within three years of the victim becoming aware of the harm suffered as a result of the offence, or of the death of the victim. If the criminal offence involves sexual violence, intimate partner violence or child abuse, the application to the Quebec Crime Victims Compensation Branch may be made at any time.

The Act to assist victims of criminal offences and to promote their recovery provides for various forms of financial assistance, particularly in the event of after-effects or death, to compensate for loss of income or certain disabilities, for psychotherapeutic or psychosocial rehabilitation, for physical rehabilitation, or for professional and social reintegration. The law also provides for financial support for medical assistance, to contribute to the needs of a child born as a result of a sexual assault, as well as the reimbursement of certain expenses.

For further information on Quebec’s Crime Victim Compensation Program please see: https://www.ivac.qc.ca/Pages/default.aspx.

6.2.7 New Brunswick

The Department of Justice and Public Safety’s Victim Services Program provides direct services to victims of crime through a system-based model in 15 offices across New Brunswick. The objective is to provide a continuum of services to the victim throughout the criminal justice process. Such support to victims helps to minimize their re‑victimization by the criminal justice system. Available services include:

• Court Support Counselling: Court Support Counselling through the Victim Services Program are available to victims who are experiencing symptoms of trauma directly related to the crime and/or their disclosure of the crime to an extent that impedes them from testifying effectively in court. Court Support Counselling is intended for a limited time only to prepare victims for testifying
• Court Support and Court Preparation: Provided to all victims of crime who are required to testify in court
• Victim Impact Statement Program: Enables any victim of crime to submit a statement at the time of sentencing on the impact the crime has had on them
• Compensation for Victims of Crime Program: is available to victims of violent crimes who have suffered personal injury or losses because of the crime. Some benefits include assistance with funeral costs, crime scene clean-up, relocation and medical expenses not covered by Medicare or personal health insurance. The program exists under the New Brunswick Victim Services Act. For further information on New Brunswick’s Compensation for Victims of Crime Program please visit: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/services/services_renderer.201175.html
• Short Term Counselling: A service provided by a registered therapist to assist victims after the court process to deal with the after effects of victimization, it is part of the case-management process
• Victim Notification of Release of Provincial Incarcerated Offenders: Eligible victims registered with the province’s Department of Public Safety can obtain information on an offender’s release and transfer from a provincial institution
• Victim Notification of Provincial Notification of Not Criminally Responsible Accused Information: Eligible victims registered with the province’s Department of Public Safety can access information about accused found not criminally responsible because of mental disorder, and, subject to Review Board approval, read initial and updated victim impact statements during Review Board hearings
• Victim Notification of Release of Federal Incarcerated Offenders: Victim services co-ordinators provide victims with information about the parole process and provide necessary forms for applying for notification from the PBC

For further information on New Brunswick’s Victims Services Program please visit: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/public-safety/community_safety/content/victim_services.html.

6.2.8 Nova Scotia

The Department of Justice Victim Services in Nova Scotia uses a court-system-based model and operates numerous province-wide programs that provide services to meet specific needs.

• Through its four regional offices and four sub-offices, the Provincial Victim Services Program provides victims with information, support and assistance as a case moves through the criminal justice system, including general and case specific information, case tracking and updates, court orientation, help with applying for restitution and criminal injuries counselling, safety planning and making referrals to other agencies
• The Child Victim Witness Program assists child witnesses by providing information and answering questions about the criminal justice system; explaining the court process and everyone’s role in it; providing tours of the courtroom and preparing child witnesses for court; arranging meetings with Crown attorneys; accompanying child witnesses to court; helping to prepare victim impact statements; helping with applications for criminal injuries counselling; and helping child witnesses contact other agencies
• The Victim Impact Statement Program provides information on victim impact statements, assists victims who wish to complete and submit statements directly to the court (or through a victim service officer)

• Criminal Code Review Board Updates: Eligible victims can access information about accused found not criminally responsible because of mental disorder, and, subject to Review Board approval, read initial and updated victim impact statements during Review Board hearings

• The Criminal Injuries Counselling Program pays for professional short term counselling services to support victims of violent crime in dealing with trauma resulting from the crime. Members of the immediate family of a murdered person, along with children witnessing domestic violence may also apply to the Program. Applications must generally be received within one year of the crime, and the crime must be reported to the police

• Indigenous Victim’s Case Coordinator provides culturally appropriate services to Indigenous victims of crime
• Human Trafficking Navigators: There are four Human Trafficking Navigators that provide navigational support and services to Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation survivors and their families throughout the Province
• FILU assists families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls to access information related to the loss of their loved ones. The FILU serves as a direct link between families and government agencies and is intended to give families a centralized resource to gather the information they are seeking efficiently and in a culturally supportive manner
• Restitution Coordinator program provides assistance to victims of crime who are owed restitution to recover the restitution they are owed
• Independent Legal Advice Program provides up to four hours of free independent legal advice for adult victims/survivors of sexual assault (16 years and over)
• Sexual Offence Legal Representation for cases making their way through the Court process where 276 and 278 applications are involved
• Victim Notification of Release of Provincial Incarcerated Offenders: Eligible victims registered with the province’s Department of Justice Correctional Services can obtain information on an offender’s release and transfer from a provincial institution. Victim Services can assist with the application process for victims

For further information on Nova Scotia’s Victim Services Programs, please visit: www.novascotia.ca/just/victim_Services/programs.asp.

6.2.9 Newfoundland and Labrador

The Department of Justice and Public Safety’s Victim Services Program provides services through a system-based program; 11 regional offices operate throughout the province.

• The Victim Services Program: Provides services to victims of crime with the goals of assisting victims to: access services that promote healing and recovery and participate meaningfully in the criminal justice process. Services are available at any point after an offence has occurred, and anytime during the criminal justice process and beyond. Services are available to adult victims (16 years of age and over) regardless of their decision to report a crime to the police and whether or not they participate in the criminal justice system. Services for children/youth (under 16 years of age) and their parent/caregivers are available once a criminal charge has been laid. Services are available for the child/youth whether they will be called to testify by Crown or Defense. Consent of a parent/caregiver is required. Children/youth’s caregivers are also eligible for services. Program services are free of charge, voluntary and confidential (with identified limits)
• Available services include: general information about the criminal justice system; specific information regarding the case prior to, during and after criminal court proceedings; court preparation and court orientation; court support; assistance in the preparation of victim impact statements; identification and co-ordination of community and other resources; assessments and referrals to individuals or agencies offering specialized services; provision of short-term counselling and support; safety planning; and travel funding to counseling, court preparation and presentation of victim impact statements
• FILU: Provides assistance and support for families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. FILU staff work with families to coordinate information gathering from government agencies and services. They provide healing opportunities as defined by the families, liaise with external agencies and build relationships to promote reconciliation and decolonization. Services are confidential, culturally responsive, trauma informed and victim centered

For further information on Newfoundland and Labrador’s Victim Services Program, please visit: www.victimserviceshelp.ca/index.html.

6.2.10 Prince Edward Island

The Victim Services section of Prince Edward Island’s Department of Environment, Labour and Justice operates a province-wide program to assist victims of crime throughout their involvement with the criminal justice system. Services include information about the status of a victim’s case, the criminal justice system, criminal injuries compensation and corrections; short-term counselling and emotional support; court preparation and accompaniment; assistance in preparing victim impact statements; and referrals.

Compensation

Criminal injuries compensation is available in Prince Edward Island to victims of crimes specified under the Victims of Crime Act including the following crimes: assault, sexual assault, murder, robbery (please contact Victim Services for a complete list of eligible crimes). Compensation may be made for wages or salary lost because of injury or death, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, maintenance of a child born as a result of sexual assault, medical or dental expenses, and other reasonable expenses, except for property loss or damage. Applications for compensation should be received within one year of the commission of the crime.

For further information on victims’ services in Prince Edward Island and contact information please visit: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/victim-services.

6.3 The Territories

The federal government has a unique role to play with respect to victim services in the three territories because the Attorney General of Canada, through the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, is responsible for prosecuting Criminal Code offences in the territories. As a result, the federal government provides court-based services to victims of crime in the three territories through Crown Witness Coordinators (CWCs). CWCs provide a wide range of services including liaison and information-sharing with Crowns; preparing victims and witnesses for court; explaining the criminal justice system and the victim’s role; providing information on, and assistance with, the preparation of victim impact statements; arranging testimonial aids as necessary; supporting and accompanying victims and witnesses during their court process; and referring victims and witnesses to supportive community services.

Victim services in the Territories face unique challenges due to factors specific to the North. The crime rates in Yukon, Northwest Territories (NWT) and Nunavut are significantly higher than elsewhere in Canada. There are eight Indigenous languages in the Yukon, spoken by 75 percent of the population. There are 11 official languages in the NWT, where an Indigenous language is spoken by 13 percent of the population. In Nunavut, 70 percent of the population speaks Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun as their mother tongue. The CWC program accommodates these language issues through the use of interpreters and by hiring staff who speak one or more Indigenous languages. CWCs also travel with the circuit court all over the territories.

In addition to the assistance provided by CWCs, victims of crime receive assistance from community organizations, the territorial government, some First Nations and police services via first response, pre-court, police-based support. Funding provided by the territorial governments to non-governmental organizations enables services to be developed that respond to the particular needs of victims of crime in the three territories.

6.3.1 Yukon

The Victim Services Unit in the Yukon’s Department of Justice offers a system-based model of victim services. Yukon Victim Services works closely with the Crown Attorney’s office and the RCMP to offer support to victims from the time of the offence through to conclusion of sentence, treatment and release. The Victim Services Unit provides direct services for victims of crime, including court support, crisis support, group counselling and referrals. The Yukon Government also provides public education, prevention activities and support to community agencies, through the Department of Justice, the Women’s Directorate and other departments. In addition to the services provided by the territorial government, women’s organizations, non-governmental agencies, First Nations and community groups provide direct and indirect services for victims of crime.

For further information on services for victims of crime in the Yukon please visit: http://www.justice.gov.yk.ca/prog/cor/vs/.

6.3.2 Northwest Territories

The Department of Justice of the NWT provides annual contribution funding to ongoing, community-based Victim Service Programs located in seven communities in the NWT. Outreach victim services are available in both T’licho and Beaufort Delta regions. Victims living in communities where there is no Victim Services Program can receive information and support from a Victim Services worker by telephone. NWT community-based victim services include information, assistance, support, court orientation and accompaniment, referrals, safety planning and assistance with victim impact statements.

The emergency costs associated with criminal victimization are great, particularly in the NWT where, in most cases, victims residing in smaller communities are required to travel to either a regional centre, the capital or outside of the NWT to access services. Furthermore, services available in the community, such as home repairs, are very expensive. The NWT Victims of Crime Emergency Fund provides limited financial assistance to help victims of serious violent crime meet emergency needs where no other sources of financial assistance are available.

The Victim Notification Program allows victims to apply to receive information about the offender who was convicted of a crime against them, such as the length, start and expiry date of sentences; eligibility dates for temporary absences; any variation to the sentence or eligibility dates; the location of the institution of incarceration; release dates and destination for temporary absences; special conditions imposed on temporary absences; the release date and community to which the offender will be released, if known; escapes from custody or other “unlawfully at large” statuses and when the offender is returned to custody. The Victim Notification Program is administered by the Corrections Service. All NWT correctional facilities have victim-notification representatives.

For further information and contact numbers for Victims Services in the NWT please visit: https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/victim-services/.

6.3.3 Nunavut

The Community Justice Division within the Nunavut Department of Justice provides support and contribution funding to community-based programs located throughout Nunavut to assist victims of crime. The Victims Assistance Fund is a special-purpose fund maintained with revenue from victims’ fine surcharges.

The Victims Assistance Fund does not provide direct financial compensation to individuals but it supports community-based projects and activities that provide services and assistance to victims of crime through:

• Training geared toward sensitizing and informing community resource workers about the needs and circumstances of victims of crime
• Direct services that assist victims through crisis response, personal support, follow-up assistance, victim information and systems referral
• Public awareness and information on the rights and responsibilities of victims, available services, the criminal justice system and its procedures and any issues relating to victims of crime
• Gathering and distribution of information about services to victims and the needs and concerns of victims

The Nunavut Victim Travel Support Program provides support to Nunavummiut survivors/victims of serious, violent crimes that occur and are being prosecuted in Nunavut before the Nunavut Court of Justice. The program provides limited, travel-related financial assistance to the victim’s family members and/or support person so that they may offer the victim the benefit of emotional, moral and familial support and, in some cases, personal translation when the victim is required to attend criminal proceedings.

Court-based assistance is also provided to victims and witnesses in Nunavut through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (via federal Crown Witness Coordinators). Victim services will continue to expand in Nunavut.

6.4 Federal Services to Victims of Crime

6.4.1 Correctional Service of Canada

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is responsible for the management of all individuals sentenced to two years or more while they are serving sentences in custody or under conditional release in the community.

Victims and their family members can receive information about the offender who harmed them; however, this does not happen automatically. In order to receive this information, victims must register with CSC (or with the PBC) by using the request form available on the CSC website or through the Victims Portal (https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/victims/). Registering allows victims and family members to:

• receive information about changes in the offender’s location and other aspects of the management of the case
• be informed about the offender’s correctional plan and rules about the offender’s release
• submit a victim statement for consideration in decisions that will impact the offender
• address the needs and the rights of victims who are minors (under 18 years old) by registering to receive information on behalf of the minor

The information about an offender that can be accessed by registered victims is listed in subsection 26(1) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. This includes:

• the offender's name
• the offence for which the offender was convicted and the court that convicted the offender
• the start date and length of the sentence that the offender is serving
• the offender's eligibility dates and review dates for temporary absences or parole

Other information can be shared with registered victims following a review by CSC to determine if the victims’ interest outweighs the potential invasion of the offender’s privacy. This information may include:

• the offender’s age
• whether the offender is in custody and, if not, why
• the name and location of the institution where the offender is being held
• information about an offender transferring from one institution to another
• information about the programs in which the offender is participating or has participated
• the serious disciplinary offences committed by the offender
• information about an offender’s progress in relation to their correctional plan
• the date when an offender has been removed from Canada by the CBSA
• information about CSC's victim-offender mediation services

Registered victims can receive information about the offender’s conditional release unless the disclosure would have a negative impact on the safety of the public:

• the date on which the offender is to be released
• the conditions attached to the offender’s release
• the destination of the offender on any release and whether the offender will be in the vicinity of the victim while travelling to that destination
• the reasons for any temporary absence
• access to a photograph of the offender taken on or after the offender’s first escorted temporary absence from the institution, and any subsequent photograph of the offender taken by CSC

Throughout the offender’s sentence, registered victims are able to provide victim statements expressing how the crime has impacted them and any concerns they may have about their safety. These are different from Victim Impact Statements used at the sentencing stage of the trial and which CSC receives as part of offenders’ court files. CSC considers victim statements when planning and managing offenders’ cases and when preparing recommendations for the Parole Board of Canada about release decisions.

CSC works collaboratively with the PBC and the provinces and territories to strengthen continuity of services for victims when offenders move between jurisdictions.

6.4.2 Parole Board of Canada

The PBC, through their Regional Managers of Community Relations and Training and Regional Communications Officers, provide the following services to victims:

• receive requests for information
• inform victims, in writing, of their status and their entitlements as well as information about both CSC and PBC
• provide notifications to victims relating to their specific case
• maintain information regarding victim contacts, as required
• ensure that relevant information provided by victims is forwarded to decision‑makers and if required, shared with offenders
• inform victims about other sources of information or opportunities to participate in the conditional release process such as their right to attend PBC hearings as observers and/or to present a Victim Statement
• upon request, provide a victim with a copy of any PBC decision concerning the offender who harmed them and the reasons for the decision
• advise victims of victim-related services available to them nationally, provincially/territorially and locally
• preparing, accompanying and debriefing victims who attend PBC hearings

Any member of the public may attend hearings conducted by PBC as an observer. Hearings usually take place in the penitentiary where the offender is held. Applications should be made to PBC, in writing and as early as possible (preferably at least 30 days before the hearing). This allows time to conduct a required security check on the individual in order to obtain clearance to enter a penitentiary. A support person can also accompany the victim. This support person does not need to attend the hearing; however, if they do, they must also apply to be approved for entry into a penitentiary.

Registered victims may apply to the Victims Fund, administered by the Policy Centre for Victim Issues at the Department of Justice, for financial assistance to attend PBC hearings of the offender who harmed them. Financial assistance is also available for a support person to accompany a registered victim at PBC hearings, which covers travel, hotel and meal expenses, according to the current Government of Canada Treasury Board Directive. In order to receive this financial assistance, victims must be registered with CSC or PBC and must have been approved to attend the hearing.

For further information regarding financial assistance to attend PBC hearings, victims may contact the Victims Fund Manager by email at: victimsfundmanager@justice.gc.ca or by calling toll-free at 1-866-544-1007 from anywhere in Canada or the United States. Victims may also visit the Department of Justice website at https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fund-fina/cj-jp/fund-fond/attend-audience.html

Victims may provide a Victim Statement to PBC for consideration at hearings that includes information regarding the physical, emotional or financial impact, including property damage or economic loss, the offence has had on them, their family and/or the community. A Victim Statement is a short text that is written for a parole hearing, describing the continuing impact of the crime. Registered victims may attend a hearing and read their statement to Board members, designate a support person who will attend the hearing with them to read the statement on their behalf, or present their statement by recording (regardless of whether the victim attends the hearing).

PBC has developed a victim statement checklist to assist victims in preparing their statement. The checklist may be found at https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/corporate/publications-and-forms/victims-statement-checklist.html

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