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Most Canadian provinces have financial assistance programs to assist some victims of violent or personal crimes.

Provinces and territories administer financial assistance programs according to their own rules and standards that can vary greatly from province to province. Read more.

Financial assistance for victims of crime can also come in other forms, mostly restitution, compensation and project funding.

For more information on the types of assistance available from the federal government at the federal level, please visit the Funding section of the Department of Justice's Policy Centre for Victim Issues website.

Restitution

Restitution is when the court orders the offender to pay the victim for monetary losses due to bodily or psychological harm or damage to property caused by the crime .

Restitution can be ordered in various ways in Canada:

• As a stand-alone order, given the additional sentence according to s.738 of the Criminal Code;
• As a condition of probation (s.732.1, 3.1a); or
• As a conditional sentence (s.724.3, 2).

For more information about restitution, see Learn about your rights.

Compensation

Compensation programs are mostly administrated at the provincial level. All compensation programs in Canada, except for Nova Scotia, which only provides compensation for counselling, cover funeral-related expenses.

Here's a list of provinces with the corresponding financial amounts available to compensate victims for funeral expenses:

• Alberta: Contact the Victim of Crime Financial Benefits Program at 780-427-7217 or download their form online
• British Columbia: Contact the Crime Victim Assistance program for more information at 1-604-660-3888. You can also ask about financial assistance to attend justice-related proceedings available through the Victim Travel Fund.
• Manitoba: Contact the Compensation for Victims of Crime Program at 204-945-0899 in Winnipeg or 1-800-262-9344
• New Brunswick: See the Victims Service Act for more details or visit their website
• Ontario: Visit their website for more detailed information.
• P.E.I.: See their website for more information
• Quebec: See the Crime Victim Compensation Act or call 514 906-3019 in Montreal (1 800 561-4822 toll free) for more details.
• Saskatchewan: Contact the Victim Compensation Program for more information.

Important note: OFOVC is not responsible for managing these provincial financial programs, all of which are subject to change at any time. Some provincial/territorial programs only accept applications for financial assistance within specific time frames from the date of the crime.

Find services near you

Some provinces have established criminal injuries compensation or financial assistance programs for victims of crime.

Contact the organizations in your province or territory that can refer you to the criminal injuries compensation or financial assistance program in your region.

Find compensation programs near me

• Source: Canadian Centre for Victims of Crime, Factsheet on Restitution (2009).