Financial Assistance for Victims to Attend Parole Board Hearings & the Creation of a National Office for Victims

As of November 1, 2005, victims of crime in Canada will now be able to apply for financial assistance to attend the Parole Board of Canada hearings of the offender who harmed them. In addition, a new National Office for Victims has been established to provide information and support to victims. The CRCVC pushed for … Read more

Expansion of Information Provided to Victims

 The CRCVC has voiced the need for an expansion of the type of information provided to victims of offenders serving federal sentences. Information about programming (or lack thereof) will allow victims to better judge the risk an offender may still present to them if any. Advance notifications of transfers, reasons behind transfers, and access to … Read more

Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

On April 23, 2007, former CRCVC President Steve Sullivan was named Canada’s first Ombudsman for crime victims, a position and office the CRCVC long called for. The Ombudsman is responsible for helping victims tap into existing federal programs for crime victims, promote the needs of victims within the justice system and government, review complaints and … Read more

Financial Assistance for Canadians Victimized Abroad

Following interventions with a number of Canadians impacted by terrorism and mass violence outside of Canada, CRCVC voiced the need to develop specialized consular training to better serve crime victims and create a program at the federal level to provide financial assistance to Canadians who are victimized outside of Canada. On April 1, 2007, a … Read more

Legislative Changes

The CRCVC has been involved in work to bring about numerous recent pieces of legislation in Canada, including: Amendments to the CCRA under The Safe Streets and Communities Act including enshrining victim participation in conditional release board hearings, and keeping victims better informed about the behaviour and handling of offenders; Federal income support for parents … Read more