Backgrounder: Victims Funding for the Nova Scotia Department of Justice

Through its Victims Fund, the Department of Justice Canada will provide more than $2 million over five years to the Nova Scotia Department of Justice. The funding aims to improve programs and services to residents of the province who have been victims of crime.

Federal Victims Strategy / Victims Fund

In 2007, the Government announced the Federal Victims Strategy and committed $52 million over four years to respond to the needs of victims of crime. In Budget 2011, the Government announced $26 million over two years in renewed funding for the Federal Victims Strategy. Most recently, the Government announced additional funding of $7 million over five years from Budget 2012, $5 million of which will be directed to the creation and enhancement of Child Advocacy Centres across Canada.

The objective of the Strategy, which is led by the Department of Justice Canada, is to give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system. Working in collaboration with victims, victim advocates, provincial and territorial governments, service providers and others involved in the criminal justice system, the Department identifies issues of concern to victims of crime, and facilitates policy development and criminal law reform.

Within the Federal Victim Strategy, the Victims Fund is a grants and contributions program administered by the Department of Justice. With the new funding announced in Economic Action Plan 2012, the Fund will have $11.6 million each year available to fund provinces, territories and non-governmental organizations whose projects, activities and operations support the objectives of the Federal Victims Strategy.

The Victims Fund funds projects and activities which

• promote access to justice and participation by victims in the justice system;
• promote the development of law, policies and programs for victims;
• promote the implementation of principles, guidelines and laws designed to address the needs of victims of crime and articulate the victim's role in the criminal justice system;
• increase knowledge and awareness of the impact of victimization, the needs of victims of crime, available services, assistance and programs, and relevant legislation;
• encourage governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify victim needs and gaps in services, and develop and deliver programs, services and assistance to victims; and
• promote capacity building within non-governmental organizations;

More information is available on the Department of Justice Canada's website.

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Government of Canada
April 2012