OTTAWA, ON, April 22, 2026 /CNW/ - Canada's new government is taking stronger action to protect victims and survivors of crime. The Protecting Victims Act is one of the most consequential reforms of the Criminal Code in a generation to help stop intimate partner violence and femicide, and keep our kids safe from predators.

This builds on the Government of Canada's actions to support victims and survivors of crime, which provides approximately $50 million annually to support victims and survivors of crime across the country.

This funding helps strengthen services and supports across Canada, including by helping provinces and territories enhance victim services, supporting victims and survivors of human trafficking, helping children and youth who have experienced abuse, and funding community-based services and initiatives.

This support includes investments in the following areas:

• Provinces and territories: $8.8 million per year to provinces and territories to help implement and enhance victim services and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. This funding helps provinces and territories implement legal requirements for victims of crime, particularly provisions of the Criminal Code such as victim impact statements, publication bans, restitution, victim surcharge, and testimonial aids. It also helps provinces and territories develop and enhance victim assistance programs with justice system partners, conferences, public legal education, and similar initiatives.
• Human trafficking: $1 million per year for non-governmental organizations to undertake projects that support victims and survivors of human trafficking.
• Children and youth: $3.3 million per year for projects that support children and youth victims of abuse under the Child Advocacy Centres Initiative.
• Victims and Survivors of Crime Week: More than $1 million is being provided to 149 organizations throughout Canada to support local events, workshops, and activities to raise awareness about the issues victims and survivors face and the support available to them and their loved ones as part of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week in May.

These actions build on what victims, survivors, and loved ones have told us directly: too many have been left carrying the weight of a system that asked too much of them when they needed support the most. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks as the government works with provincial, territorial, and community partners.

Quotes

"We have heard directly from victims, survivors, and loved ones who were left carrying the weight of a system that asked too much of them. That cannot continue. Our government is strengthening the Criminal Code to better protect victims and survivors, and to ensure abusers and predators face the full force of the law. But legislation alone is not enough. This work builds on existing investments in support of victims and survivors of crime.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"The Protecting Victims Act sends a clear message: we are putting victims first and closing the gaps predators exploit. By modernizing the Criminal Code, we're giving law enforcement and courts the tools they need to intervene sooner, to help protect children, and hold offenders to account. These reforms reflect today's realities and strengthen victims' rights with the goal of making our communities safer."

The Honourable Rechie Valdez,
Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)

"Bill C-16 represents the most significant advancement in federal victims' rights since the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights was enacted in 2015. It demonstrates that when survivors are heard and systemic issues are identified, Parliament responds. There is real momentum to strengthen victims' rights in Canada."

Dr. Benjamin Roebuck, Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime

Quick Facts

• The Protecting Victims Act (Bill C-16) responds to recommendations in the Mass Casualty Commission's final report, the Renfrew County inquest, the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime's report entitled Rethinking Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Systemic Investigation, and various parliamentary reports.
• On October 29, 2025, the Government of Canada committed $660.5 million over five years for the Department for Women and Gender Equality to ensure sustained progress toward equality and safety for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. This includes $44.7 million to strengthen federal action in response to gender-based violence in support for populations that are at risk of GBV or underserved when they experience these forms of violence.
• The Victims Fund provides grants and contributions to support projects and activities that encourage the development of new approaches, promote access to justice, improve the capacity of service providers, foster the establishment of referral networks, and/or increase awareness of services available to victims of crime and their families.
• According to police services in Canada, in 2024, there were 349 victims of family violence per 100,000 population, and 356 victims of intimate partner violence per 100,000 population aged 12 and older. In all, there were 142,724 victims of family violence and 128,175 victims of intimate partner violence in 2024. After many years of consecutive gradual increases, rates of family violence and intimate partner violence in 2024 are relatively unchanged compared with 2023.
• From 2014 to 2021, police services in Canada reported 50,653 incidents of online sexual child exploitation. 72% of the offences related to child sexual abuse and exploitation material and 28% of incidents were "online sexual offences against children (such as luring and invitation to sexual touching)".

Associated links

• Protecting Victims Act
• Victims Services Directory
• Victims Fund
• Victims and Survivors of Crime Week 2026
• Fact sheets - Victims' Rights in Canada

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada