4 Findings

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4.1 Use of Victim Impact Statements, Community Impact Statements, and Victim Statements

4.1.1 Victim Impact Statements – ICCS data from five jurisdictions

In 2022/2023, Statistics Canada’s Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS) recorded 2,049 cases with a finding of guilt^{Footnote 3} and a recorded VIS across five jurisdictions: Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Northwest Territories. This represented approximately 8% of cases with a finding of guilt, up from 5% in 2016/2017. Of the 2,049 cases with a recorded VIS in 2022/2023, 1,911 were adult criminal court cases and 138 were youth court cases. As noted in Text box 2, New Brunswick accounts for a large share of recorded VIS in the ICCS data. Its ICCS figure may capture VIS records created in the provincial case management system rather than completed VIS submitted to the court.

VIS were proportionally more common in youth court than in adult criminal court in 2022/2023 (11% versus 8%). This pattern was also observed over the full period from 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, with VIS recorded in 10% of youth court cases and 6% of adult criminal court cases. Over time, the proportion of cases with a recorded VIS increased gradually in both adult criminal court and youth court (Figure 1).

Table 1 presents the number and proportion of cases with a finding of guilt and a recorded VIS in 2022/2023 for the five jurisdictions reporting VIS data to the ICCS. Across these jurisdictions, the proportion of cases with a recorded VIS ranged from 2% in Alberta and Nova Scotia to 42% in New Brunswick. New Brunswick had a much higher proportion than the other reporting jurisdictions. Information provided by New Brunswick suggests that this may reflect how VIS are recorded in the provincial case management system; specifically, the ICCS figure may capture VIS records created in the system rather than completed VIS submitted to the court. These findings are descriptive and should not be interpreted as direct comparisons across jurisdictions, as differences in court processes, administrative systems, recording and reporting practices, and victim service delivery models may affect how and when VIS are recorded.

Table 1. Recorded Victim Impact Statements in adult criminal court and youth court cases with a finding of guilt, five ICCS-reporting jurisdictions, 2022/2023

While the ICCS is the only national court data source that currently includes recorded VIS information, coverage is limited to the five jurisdictions reporting VIS data to the survey. The national picture would be clearer if additional jurisdictions reported VIS data.

4.1.2 Victim Impact Statements – provincial and territorial data

Provincial and territorial administrative VIS data were available from eight jurisdictions. Annual counts for 2023/2024 are presented in Annex 1, Table A1. Depending on the jurisdiction, these data were drawn from victim services programs, court services, or Crown prosecution services, and may reflect statements or packages that were distributed, completed, received, registered, submitted, or filed. Because definitions, timing, and recording practices vary across jurisdictions, these results are descriptive and should not be interpreted as direct comparisons.

In 2023/2024, reported figures included 3,381 VIS submitted through Ontario’s Victim/Witness Assistance Program (V/WAP), which primarily serves victims of violent crime, and 161 combined VIS/CIS submitted to the court in Prince Edward Island. British Columbia reported 21,523 VIS packages distributed by Crown prosecutors; this figure reflects packages distributed rather than completed statements. Across the available years, reported VIS activity was relatively stable within reporting jurisdictions, with some year-to-year variation.

The New Brunswick data also included information on the source of VIS-related referrals. Court referrals remained the primary source of VIS-related records, while police referrals increased over time. This may suggest a growing role for police in referring victims to the VIS process in New Brunswick.

4.1.3 Victim Impact Statements in review board cases – provincial and territorial data

Administrative data on VIS in review board cases were available from six jurisdictions. Annual average counts are presented in Annex 1, Table A2. Because case volumes, reporting practices, and data availability vary across jurisdictions, these results should not be interpreted as direct comparisons.

Overall, the available data suggest that VIS in review board proceedings remain modest in number and unevenly captured. Among reporting jurisdictions, Quebec reported an annual average of 40 review board cases with a VIS between 2010/2011 and 2023/2024. In 2023/2024, VIS were recorded in 3% of Quebec review board cases involving an accused found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCR). New Brunswick reported an annual average of 23 VIS filed with the review board. Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba reported smaller annual averages, ranging from 1 to 3 VIS-related review board records.

4.1.4 Community Impact Statements – provincial and territorial data

Community Impact Statements are not currently reported through the ICCS, and administrative data were available from five provincial and territorial sources. Annual average counts are presented in Annex 1, Table A3. In some jurisdictions, administrative systems do not distinguish CIS from VIS. Because coverage and recording practices vary, these results are descriptive and should not be interpreted as direct comparisons.

Overall, the available data suggest that CIS remain uncommon and less systematically captured than VIS in administrative data. Among reporting jurisdictions, Manitoba recorded an annual average of 11 CIS between 2022 and 2024. Alberta and Nova Scotia each reported annual averages of 6 CIS, while Ontario and New Brunswick reported annual averages of 2 CIS. The higher number reported in Manitoba may partly reflect jurisdiction-specific outreach, referral, or administrative practices. More broadly, low counts may reflect limited use, differences in awareness or referral practices, and inconsistent administrative tracking.

4.1.5 Victim Statements – federal corrections data

Following sentencing, registered victims of federal offenders may submit or update a Victim Statement for consideration by CSC and the PBC in correctional and conditional release decision-making. CSC and the PBC may also consider a VIS submitted to the court if it is included in the offender’s case file.

In 2023/2024, CSC received 1,570 new or updated Victim Statements, consistent with recent years. From 2018/2019 to 2022/2023, the number received for consideration in release decisions ranged from 1,398 to 1,557 (Public Safety Canada, 2025). Overall, approximately 10% of federal offenders had at least one Victim Statement on file in 2023/2024, up from approximately 7% in 2019/2020.

4.2 Case characteristics

4.2.1 Offence types

Available data indicate that VIS, CIS, and Victim Statements are most commonly associated with violent offences. Based on ICCS data for 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, 47% of adult criminal court cases with a finding of guilt and a recorded VIS involved violent offences, compared with 34% for property offences and 19% for administration of justice and other offences. Among youth court cases with a finding of guilt and a recorded VIS, 56% involved violent offences, followed by property offences at 34%.

Provincial and territorial administrative data show similar patterns, with VIS most often associated with violent offences, including assault, sexual assault, homicide, and intimate partner violence (IPV). CIS were also most often associated with violent offences. In federal corrections, from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024, Victim Statements were most often associated with offences causing death (43%), sexual offences (24%), and assault (9%).^{Footnote 4}

4.2.2 Sentence types

Among adult criminal court cases with a recorded VIS from 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, custody was the most common sentence (44%), followed by probation (29%) and conditional sentences (11%).

However, when examined within each sentence type, VIS were proportionally more common in cases resulting in community-based sentences than in custody cases. A recorded VIS was present in 15% of conditional sentence cases and 11% of probation cases, compared with 7% of custody cases.

Among youth court cases with a recorded VIS, probation was the most common sentence (52%), followed by other community-based sentences (20%) and custody (16%).

4.2.3 Victim-accused relationship

Based on linked ICCS–UCR data for 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, the victim knew the accused in 82% of cases with a finding of guilt and a recorded VIS. Of these cases, 41% involved a current or former intimate partner relationship, 29% involved another known relationship, such as a friend, neighbour, or acquaintance, and 13% involved another family relationship. By comparison, 18% involved an accused who was a stranger.^{Footnote 5}

These findings suggest that recorded VIS are commonly associated with offences involving an accused known to the victim, particularly an intimate partner or family member. This highlights the importance of trauma-informed, safety-focused supports that consider the victim’s relationship to the accused.

4.3 Victim characteristics

Based on linked ICCS–UCR data for 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, 65% of cases with a recorded VIS were associated with female victims.^{Footnote 6} Victims aged 25 to 44 represented the largest group (44%), followed by victims aged 45 and older (25%). For Victim Statements submitted in the federal corrections context from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024, 79% of victims were female and 77% were aged 41 or older.

Information on victim identity, including Indigenous and racialized identity, was not available through the linked ICCS–UCR data and was not consistently collected at the provincial and territorial level. Limited identity information was available from New Brunswick and CSC.

In New Brunswick, approximately 5% of VIS recorded between 2010/2011 and 2023/2024 involved victims identified as Indigenous. Among CIS recorded between 2016/2017 and 2023/2024, 23% involved victims identified as Indigenous.

In the federal corrections context, approximately 8% of victims who submitted Victim Statements to CSC between 2019/2020 and 2023/2024 self-identified as Indigenous. This proportion reflects only victims who submitted a statement and chose to provide identity information; it does not represent the broader victim population.

4.4 Presentation of statements

VIS and CIS may be presented in court or review board proceedings, and Victim Statements may be presented at PBC hearings. Victims may read their statement aloud themselves or have it read by another person, such as a victim services worker or Crown Witness Coordinator. Statements may also be presented using testimonial aids such as a support person, a screen, or closed-circuit television. Victims may include expressive materials, such as a drawing, poem, letter, or photograph, to help describe the impact of the offence.

Few jurisdictions systematically record whether or how VIS or CIS are presented in court or review board proceedings. Where data were available, only a small proportion of statements were recorded as presented. In some cases, the data reflected victims’ stated intentions rather than confirmed presentation. In 2023/2024, approximately 11% of filed VIS in both Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island were reported as presented. In Nova Scotia, 31% of VIS and 38% of CIS were intended to be read in court, based on victims’ stated intentions. More detailed information on how statements were presented was not available.

At the conditional release stage, Victim Statement presentations at PBC hearings increased from 293 presentations at 171 hearings in 2020/2021 to 386 at 238 hearings in 2024/2025, with some year-to-year variation (Parole Board of Canada, 2026).

 

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