Getting Support (Victim or Witness)

Getting Support

If you are a victim or witness, the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) can help you prepare for court by:

  • Giving a tour of the courthouse or courtroom
  • Explaining what to expect on the day of
  • Connecting you with the Crown Attorney for a meeting (if Crown witness) where you can review your written or video statement about the crime
  • Reviewing options for testifying – in courtroom, from another room, and/or with a support person

You will be connected to VWAP by either the police or Crown Attorney. To find the office nearest to you, you can:

Victim Notification Services:

  • Provides victims with telephone notifications if there are changes to the status of offenders who are incarcerated provincially or under community supervision (probation, parole, conditional sentence)
  • Be notified by automated telephone message about:
    • Parole – hearings and decisions
    • Admissions – to a provincial jail/institution or transfer to another area
    • Releases – scheduled release dates, temporary absences
    • Escapes or Recaptures
    • Intermittent sentences (weekend sentences)

Register by:

  1. Calling the Victim Support Line (VSL) at:
  2. You will be asked to leave a voice message that includes the following information:
    • your name
    • your telephone number
    • the name of the inmate you wish to inquire about
  3. Victim Notification System staff will return your call within one business day and give you:
    • releasable information about the inmate’s status
    • the option to register for the program

Communication Intermediaries:

Communication Intermediaries (CI) can help if you are a victim or witness that have difficulty with:

  • Speaking
  • Understanding and processing what is being said to you
  • Expressing your opinions or thoughts clearly
  • Responding to questions
  • Focusing on what is being asked

Communication Intermediaries are Speech-Language Pathologists that will assess your needs, write a report on your communication abilities or assistive devices and explain these needs to justice professionals.

To access a Communication Intermediary, contact the Accessibility Coordinator at your courthouse and provide them with:

  • Court file number
  • Court address
  • Date and time of the proceedings
  • Type of accommodation needs
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