Crime Victim Assistance Program
The Crime Victim Assistance Program assists victims of violent offences, their immediate family members and some witnesses in coping with the effects of the offence by providing benefits to help offset their financial costs and assist in their recovery.
Benefits available to victims include:
- Medical and dental expenses
- Prescription costs
- Disability aids and other disability-related expenses if required due to injury
- Counselling
- Protective measures, such as security devices
- Repair/replacement of eyeglasses, disability aids or clothing damaged or destroyed as a result of the offence
- Income support or lost earning capacity
- Vocational services
- Transportation expenses
- Homemaker, childcare and personal care expenses
- Crime Scene Cleaning
Benefits for Immediate family members include:
- Counselling expenses and prescription costs related to the psychological impact of the offence
- Transportation to attend counselling and to attend justice proceedings in the event of the death of a victim
- Funeral expenses and bereavement leave
- Income support for dependents and vocational services for spouses in the event of the death of a victim
- Crime scene cleaning
Benefits for Witnesses include:
- Counselling and prescription expenses related to the psychological impact of the offence
- Transportation to attend counselling
- Crime scene cleaning
The Crime Victim Assistance Program cannot cover certain losses, such as compensation for pain and suffering, losses due to property related offences, or injuries or loss resulting from a motor vehicle accident or work-related injuries covered through WorkSafe BC.
Applications are available through your local victim service program or through the Victim Services website.
In most cases, the application must be received within one year from the date of the offence. You do not need to wait for charges to be laid or for a conviction before applying for benefits.
Exceptions to the one year time include:
- There is no time limit for applications from victims of sexual offences (immediate family members, however have one year from the date of the offence or the date they found out about the offence)
- Those under 19 have until they turn 20 to apply (except if they are a victim of a sexual offence)
- If an extension is granted because there was a reasonable explanation for the delay.
If you are eligible for benefits from other sources, such as Employment Insurance, employer health plans or personal disability insurance, you must apply for them first.
If you have questions about general eligibility and the benefits provided through the program, you can contact the Crime Victim Assistance Program at 604-660-3888 or toll free in BC at 1-866-660-3888.