Albertans affected by crime will have access to more money to pay for counselling, compensation for injuries, funeral costs and other services to help them deal with the fallout from their experiences.
One of the changes is up to $12,000 will be available for counselling.
The Victims of Crime fund will also now be solely for the purpose of supporting victims.
Nathan Neudorf, MLA Lethbridge East, and Angela Pitt, MLA Airdrie-East, co-chaired the Victims of Crime and Public Safety Programs Committee.
Pitt said in a statement she was pleased to see all 19 recommendations from the committee were accepted and will be implemented.
“The government must ensure help is accessible and available to victims as they navigate the aftermath of a crime,” Pitt said in a press release. “I want to express our deep gratitude to the many organizations and people across the province that participated in the review."
Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro made the announcement July 19.
“It’s critical that we have a system that is in place here in Alberta that stands with victims every step along the way,” Shandro said at the press conference announcing the changes. “A system which ensures that victims never have to carry the burden alone. That they are treated with courtesy, they are treated with compassion, that they are treated with respect throughout their traumatic involvement with the justice system.”
Shandro said the new system will act more quickly to compensate victims of crime.
“We know the previous financial system was not quick enough and did not provide enough immediate support to those who were coping with trauma and that was not acceptable,” he said.
Victims of crime will now have up to two years to apply for funds, up from 45 days previously.
Ed Sands and his wife, Debbie, of Okotoks lost their daughter Amy in a tragic shooting almost 10 years ago. Ed said at the time they accessed funds to cover the cost of Amy’s funeral, but weren’t aware of any counselling funding or any other type of support through the Province.
He said the changes to the program, especially giving victims more time to apply, is a good move.
“The first 45 days are a blur,” he said.
Providing money for counselling is also beneficial, Ed said. They found solace in friends and family and joined a victims of homicide group, where they eventually also found themselves helping others coping with their grief in the face of terrible crimes.
There will also be emergency financial assistance, such as emergency support for domestic violence victims and relocation assistance for human trafficking victims.
