1 Introduction

Victims have the right to participate in Canada’s criminal justice system. Under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR), this includes being able to present a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) and have it considered. Victims also have the right to share views about decisions that affect their rights and have those views considered. VIS, Community Impact Statements (CIS), and Victim Statements are tools through which victimsFootnote 1 and communities can describe, in their own words, how crime has affected them, including physical, emotional, psychological, financial, community, and safety-related impacts.

VIS, CIS, and Victim Statements are used at different points in the justice process. VIS are used at sentencing and may also be considered in review board proceedings where an accused is found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCR). CIS allow a community representative to describe the broader impacts of an offence on a community and must be considered by the court at sentencing. Victim Statements are used in the federal corrections and conditional release context under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) (Text box 1).

VIS were introduced into the Criminal Code in 1988 under section 722. The Criminal Code was later amended to provide for CIS, first in fraud cases in 2011 and then for all offences at sentencing in 2015 under section 722.2. Amendments that came into force in 2015 also introduced standardized VIS and CIS forms and expanded options for presenting statements, including through testimonial aids such as a support person, a screen, or closed-circuit television.

Across Canada, provinces and territories have processes in place to support VIS, including victim services or other justice system supports that help victims understand the VIS process, prepare and submit statements, and access information, referrals, and court-related supports. In the territories, Crown Witness Coordinators with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) provide court-based support to victims and witnesses, including information about the court process and assistance related to VIS. These services play a key role in helping victims navigate the statement process and exercise their participatory rights.

In the federal corrections and conditional release context, victim participation is also supported through Justice Canada, Correctional Service Canada (CSC), and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC). Justice Canada’s Victims Fund provides financial assistance to help registered victims attend PBC hearings. CSC and the PBC jointly deliver victim services, supporting registered victims through engagement, information sharing, and assistance with the preparation and submission of Victim Statements. CSC provides updates on the offender’s status, while the PBC supports victims in relation to conditional release hearings.

Despite the long-standing availability of these victim participation tools, national information on their use remains limited. In the court context, Statistics Canada collects VIS information through the Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS), but only five jurisdictions currently report VIS data through the survey. The ICCS also includes a variable for CIS, but no jurisdictions currently report CIS data. The Canadian Victim Services Indicators (CVSI) Pilot Study also identified broader challenges in producing comparable national data on victim services, including VIS-related indicators, because jurisdictions use different data systems, terminology, coverage, and recording practices (Allen, 2019).

At the provincial and territorial level, administrative data—information collected through the routine delivery of programs, services, and case processes—are maintained by victim services, court services, Crown prosecution services, and review boards. However, definitions, coverage, and collection practices vary. For this reason, findings in this report are presented descriptively and should not be interpreted as direct comparisons across jurisdictions.

This study was conducted by Justice Canada’s Research and Statistics Division (RSD) in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Working Group on Victims of Crime – Sub-Committee on National Victims Data, Statistics Canada, CSC, the PBC, and provincial and territorial justice partners, including victim services, court services, Crown prosecution services, and review boards. It provides a national overview of available administrative data on VIS, CIS, and Victim Statements, identifies key data gaps and limitations, and supports broader FPT work to improve national data and monitor victims’ participatory rights under the CVBR.

Text box 1. Victim participation tools in Canada

Victim Impact Statement (VIS): A written statement describing the physical or emotional harm, property damage, or economic loss suffered by a victim of an offence, as well as the impact of the offence on the victim, including any fears for their safety or security or that of family and friends. More than one VIS may be submitted in a case where more than one person has been affected by the offence. The court must consider a VIS at sentencing, and a VIS may also be considered in review board proceedings where an accused is found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCR). A VIS submitted to the court may also be considered during federal corrections and conditional release decision-making.

Community Impact Statement (CIS): A written statement describing the harm or loss an offence has caused to a community. A CIS recognizes that the effects of crime can extend beyond individual victims. It allows a community representative to describe broader impacts, such as effects on safety, cohesion, or public trust. A community may be defined by geography, identity, or shared experience (e.g., neighbourhood, organization, cultural group). The court must consider a CIS at sentencing.

Victim Statement: A written statement submitted in the federal corrections and conditional release context describing the continuing impact of the offence, any safety concerns, and any requests for special conditions on an offender’s release. Victim Statements may be submitted to Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) after sentencing and at any time during a federal offender’s sentence for consideration in offender case management and release decisions.