Victim Services in Federal Departments and Agencies

A number of federal government departments and agencies deliver services and provide information to victims of crime:

Crown Witness Coordinator Program, Public Prosecution Service of Canada

As part of its mandate, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is responsible for the prosecution of all Criminal Code offences in the three territories. The PPSC’s Crown Witness Coordinator Program is intended to bridge the cultural gap between the court system and First Nations and Inuit victims and witnesses engaged in the court process in the North.

Based in the PPSC’s regional offices in each of the territorial capitals, 20 Crown Witness Coordinators (CWCs) and three CWC Supervisors work closely with PPSC prosecutors and travel to communities during court circuits to address the needs of victims and witnesses. The CWCs work closely with the territorial victim services programs to coordinate services to victims and witnesses.

The main role of CWCs is to help victims and witnesses understand the court process, their rights and responsibilities in the process, and the roles of the court participants. They provide court updates, accompany witnesses to court, provide support during and after testimony, and assist with trial preparation. CWCs also act as liaisons between Crown counsel and victims and witnesses, to ensure that their concerns are considered during the justice process. Their work includes identifying victims’ support needs and ensuring victims are referred to appropriate territorial support agencies to address those needs.

The CWCs in each territory can be contacted through the respective PPSC Regional Offices, with contact information online at: http://www.ppsc-sppc.gc.ca/eng/cct.

National Victim Services Program, Correctional Service Canada

The Correctional Service Canada (CSC), governed by the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), is the federal government agency responsible for the custody and communitysupervision of offenders who are serving a sentence of two years or more. Victims of federaloffenders have a right to receive certain information from CSC about the offender whoharmed them, and CSC’s National Victim Services Program supports victims in exercising their rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR) within the corrections and conditional release process.

The CVBR and the CCRA define a victim as any individual who has suffered physical oremotional harm, property damage or economic loss as the result of anoffence. Legally, other people can act on behalf of victims who are unable to act for themselves, or who are responsible for the care or support of the vicitm’s dependant(s).

To receive information from CSC about the offender who harmed them, victims are asked to register with either CSC or the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) (victim services are offered jointly between the two organizations). The registration process allows CSC to confirm that the applicant meets the definition of victim, which is required under the law before CSC can share certain information with victims about the offender. Victims can register by submitting a Request for Registration form by mail,fax, or online by creating an account on the secure Victims Portal. Victims can choose someone to act as their representative and receive information on their behalf if they would prefer not to receive it directly. Once registered, victims (or their representative) can choose to receive information by telephone, mail, fax, and/or electronically through the Victims Portal, which is available 24/7.

Located in each of CSC’s five regional offices, dedicated Victim Services Officers are available to:

Victim Services Officers can be contacted by phone toll-free at 1-866-806-2275, or by email at victims-victimes@csc-scc.gc.ca.

Information and services can also be accessed by victims and/or their named representative on the Victims Portal, which is administered jointly by CSC and PBC, at: https://victimsportal-portailvictimes.csc-scc.gc.ca/Main/Home.

CSC also offers information on its Victim Services Program online at: https://www.canada.ca/en/correctional-service/services/you-csc/victims.html.

Victims can learn more about how to submit a complaint if they believe that CSC has infringed or denied their rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights by visiting: https://www.canada.ca/en/correctional-service/services/you-csc/victims/making-complaint.html.

Parole Board of Canada

Parole is a bridge between incarceration and return to the community. It is a form of conditional release, and contributes to the protection of society by allowing some offenders to continue serving part of their sentence outside of the institution in the community. Parole is under the supervision of a Correctional Service of Canada Parole Officer, and subject to conditions.

The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is an independent administrative tribunal which reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Safety. It has exclusive authority, under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), to grant, deny, cancel, terminate or revoke day parole, full parole, and authorize or approve temporary absences for offenders serving sentences of two years or more. The PBC also makes parole decisions for offenders serving sentences of less than two years in all provinces and territories except Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, which have their own parole boards.

The Board takes the concerns of victims seriously and is committed to respecting victims’ rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR). The PBC recognizes the important role that victims play in the conditional release process, and strives to be sensitive and accommodating to their needs within the scope of its mandate and the laws that govern it. Victim services at the PBC are provided by Regional Communications Officers (RCO), specialized staff who work at PBC regional offices across the country.

Under the CCRA, the PBC considers a person to be a victim of crime if:

As outlined in the CVBR, victims of crime have a right to information, participation and protection as part of the conditional release process. This includes victims of all offenders who have received a sentence of two years or more, as well as victims of offenders who have received a sentence of less than two years who have submitted a parole application to the PBC.

To register as a victim, individuals can submit a Victim Registration Form to the PBC and/or the CSC. Because the PBC and CSC jointly coordinate their victim services, victims may register with either organization. As part of the registration, victims can indicate what information and services they would like to receive. Victims may choose to receive information directly or can authorize someone else to act as their representative. Representatives can be individuals or agencies. Victim services can be accessed by registered victims on the secure, online Victims Portal.

Once registered, victims can request information about the offender and their sentence, including but not limited to review dates and any special conditions imposed on the offender’s release. Victims may also request copies of decisions contained in PBC’s Registry of Decision.

Victims also have a right to participate in the conditional release process of the offender who harmed them. In accordance with the CCRA, the PBC facilitates participation in the conditional release process in the following ways:

Victims have the right to have their security and privacy considered at all stages of the criminal justice process. The PBC considers information from victims during conditional release reviews. When a victim statement has been provided to the Board, conditions that are considered reasonable and necessary to protect the victim may be imposed on an offender’s release. If the Board members decide not to impose any conditions to protect the victim, written reasons must be provided. The PBC must take reasonable steps to inform the victim and consider their concerns before removing or varying any of these conditions.

The PBC is committed to including victims in the conditional release process and ensuring that their rights are respected, in keeping with the CCRA and the CVBR. A victim who believes their rights have not been respected under the CVBR can submit a formal complaint to the PBC by completing the PBC Victim Complaint form. Before doing so, victims are encouraged to first speak with an RCO, as they are there to assist victims, and may be able to address the issue or concern quickly and informally.

For additional information, contact a RCO through the PBC’s toll-free Victim Information Line at 1-866-789-4636 or visit Canada.ca/victims-and-parole.

National Office for Victims, Public Safety Canada

Public Safety Canada’s (PS) National Office for Victims (NOV) is a central resource working to improve victims’ experience with the federal corrections and conditional release system. To do this it:

NOV makes its information products available online and in hard copy at no cost. Examples of information products available in hard copy free of charge are:

More information products are available online at https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/crrctns/ntnl-ffc-vctms-en.aspx.

Victims may learn more about how to make a complaint about any infringement or denial of their rights by the NOV by visiting https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/crrctns/ntnl-ffc-vctms-mk-cmplnt-en.aspx.

Policy Centre for Victim Issues, the Department of Justice Canada

The Department of Justice Canada’s Policy Centre for Victim Issues (PCVI) is mandated under the Federal Victims Strategy to give victims of crime an effective voice in the criminal justice system. It works to do this by helping victims and their families understand their role in the criminal justice system and the laws, services and assistance available to support them; ensuring that the perspectives of victims will be fully considered in the development of relevant federal laws and policies; and increasing awareness about the needs of victims of crime and effective approaches to respond to those needs. The PCVI maintains a close working relationship with the provinces and territories, which have primary responsibility for the delivery of victim services in Canada. While the PCVI’s primary mandate does not specifically include the direct delivery of services to victims, it supports victims by:

Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime, Employment and Social Development Canada

The Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime is an income support grant available to applicants who have suffered a loss of income from taking time away from work to cope with the death or disappearance of their child or children, as a result of a probable Criminal Code offence. Administered by Employment and Social Development Canada, program details and application forms are available online at https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/parents-young-victims-crime.html.

Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime

The Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime (OFOVC) operates at arm’s length from the federal government, with a mandate of ensuring that the federal government meets its responsibilities to victims of crime. The OFOVC helps victims of crime and their families in Canada by:

Victims can contact the OFOVC and/or make a complaint about federal agencies and legislation by telephone at toll-free 1-866-481-8429; by email at victimsfirst@ombudsman.gc.ca; or by mail to:

Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime
P.O. Box 55037
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A1

The OFOVC also provides information on its mandate and services, victim services available across Canada, and the criminal justice system on its website at https://www.victimsfirst.gc.ca.