Program directory · Department of Justice Canada
Victims of Crime
- Department
- Department of Justice Canada
- Program code
- BNY05 (JUS)
- Core responsibility
- Justice System Support
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Department, through the Federal Victims Strategy, seeks to increase access to justice for victims of crime and give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system. To achieve this, the Department works in close collaboration with other federal agencies and institutions, as well as victims, victim advocates, provincial and territorial governments, service providers, and others involved in the criminal justice system.
The Department undertakes policy development and provides federal leadership on victims’ issues through research, awareness raising, and public legal education and information. It also builds partnerships and networks to support victims and acts as a federal-provincial-territorial liaison.
The Department is also responsible for criminal law reform related to victims of crime and for monitoring developments in associated laws, policies and procedures. This includes developing and implementing options for legal and policy reform through legislation, providing information and services to implement new and existing policies and laws, and providing legal advice to other federal departments and agencies in matters related to the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and other victim-focused policies and legislation.
In addition, the Department administers the Victims Fund, which is a grants and contribution program that provides funding to provincial and territorial governments and non-governmental organizations. This funding is intended to increase awareness of victims’ issues and related legislation, as well as services available to victims of crime. It also supports services and assistance to address gaps in services, enhances capacity to deliver responsive services, and provides funding to individuals to support travel for registered victims to attend Parole Board of Canada hearings and support for Canadians victimized abroad.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victims of Crime | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $225M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Indicators added: Percentage of planned Victims Fund allocation accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other justice system stakeholders to deliver projects and activities in support of victims and survivors of crime | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators dropped: Percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services consistent with federal priorities. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 100% | 2024 | 136% The variance between actual and planned spending is explained by an increase in spending to respond to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Final Report: Increasing Access to Culturally Grounded and Indigenous-Led Victim Services, as announced in Budget 2023. The Department received additional funding of $12.1 million during the year to support continued and… | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 100% | 2025 | 90.8% Funding for the "Supporting Indigenous Victims of Crime" initiative was implemented for the first time following guidance from an advisory committee, ensuring a culturally informed approach that influenced the timing of its launch. A portion of surplus funds was redirected to help address pressures in immigration and refugee legal aid funding. | Not met |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 100% | 2019 | 100% | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 100% | 2020 | 98% The result (98%) remains consistent with that of previous reporting periods, though slightly below the target. Only the Contraventions Act Fund is not fully committed. The Department continues to work diligently toward having provinces, territories, and municipalities sign Contraventions Act administration and enforcement agreements containing language rights provisions supported by the Fund. How… | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 100% | 2021 | 98% The result above shows that the percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services in support of federal priorities is consistent with that of previous reporting periods. Though slightly below the departmental target, the result remains consistent at 98% despite the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 100% | 2022 | 97% The result shows that the percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services in support of federal priorities. Though slightly below the departmental target, the result remains consistent at 97% despite the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 100% | 2023 | 99% The result (99%) remains consistent with that of previous reporting periods, though slightly below the target. Some of the lapsed funds are attributable to historical programs lapses such as the State-Funded Counsel Program and the Special Advocates Program (demand driven by court orders) and Contraventions Act Fund (which is not fully committed). The Department continues to work diligently towar… | Not met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 100% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $28.2M | $29.4M |
| 2019-20 | $29.1M | $28.7M |
| 2020-21 | $18.6M | $26.5M |
| 2021-22 | $25.9M | $29M |
| 2022-23 | $32.4M | $31.6M |
| 2023-24 | $26.5M | $36.1M |
| 2024-25 | $47.8M | $43.4M |
| 2025-26 | $53M | — |
| 2026-27 | $48.4M | — |
| 2027-28 | $45.6M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $45.6M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 5 | 7 |
| 2019-20 | 7 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | 7 | 7 |
| 2021-22 | 7 | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 7 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 7 |
| 2025-26 | 18 | — |
| 2026-27 | 17 | — |
| 2027-28 | 17* | — |
| 2028-29 | 17* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $28,156,899 | $21,616,899 | $16,505,142 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $29,144,771 | $18,612,977 | $18,612,977 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $18,628,660 | $18,633,435 | $18,634,032 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $25,911,917 | $25,912,514 | $18,634,032 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $32,417,025 | $25,138,367 | $25,138,367 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $26,514,021 | $26,236,984 | $25,864,658 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $47,752,216 | $46,140,849 | $38,661,867 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $53,042,720 | $45,563,721 | $45,563,721 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $48,352,452 | $45,587,452 | $45,587,452 | ||||||||
| Actual | $29,376,952 | $28,734,459 | $26,483,306 | $29,046,594 | $31,608,414 | $36,132,613 | $43,376,788 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
