Province reverses course, adds money to Victims of Crime Fund
Victims of crime will receive added support from Alberta Justice under a UCP government budget that shakes up previous commitments.
The department was poised to cut the Victims of Crime Fund by 35 per cent over four years in its October budget, but Thursday’s financial plan instead projects a 63 per cent increase.
“We want to improve the supports for victims, to ensure they get the kind of help they need, when they need it,” said an Alberta Justice spokesperson, adding the department is reviewing its delivery of victim-support services.
Alberta is broadening the scope of the Victims of Crime Fund to include new public safety initiatives. Details on the program, which will be service-based rather than one focused on financial benefits, will roll out in the coming months.
“Our government will work with local police, Crown and medical authorities, and other experienced front-line workers to improve victim-service delivery, victim-assistance funding and victim compensation to ensure there is optimal assistance to victims and survivors,” said the spokesperson.
Alberta Justice declined to comment on why changes were made to the fund in comparison to the October budget.
The department’s public security division, which oversees provincial contracts with the RCMP and Indigenous policing services, is forecast to see a bump in funding to $552 million over four years dating back to 2019, despite an initial decrease.
A previously announced new police funding model is also accounted for in the 2020 budget, which will see small and rural communities pay a portion of front-line policing costs.
They previously paid nothing. Finance Minister Travis Toews said the changes will support the government’s efforts to combat rural crime, which includes past commitments to add more than 500 RCMP and civilian positions in rural communities.
The multi-year plan will ramp up hiring in the coming months and years, said the Justice spokesperson.
It’s expected to inject more than $286 million over the next five years into front-line rural policing.
A portion of funding for the victims of crime programs and public safety priorities will come from a provincial fine surcharge, increasing from 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
The province originally earmarked $109 million for the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service in 2020-21 but is now estimating $7 million less, despite a provincial commitment to hire 50 additional Crown prosecutors.
Justice officials could not confirm how many prosecutors have so far been hired, but said 20 will be hired this year as part of the previous commitment.
In November, the province doubled the amount of articling students to 16, with plans to increase that number to 20 in 2021.
These students can perform the same legal services as a lawyer, under supervision, to help with Crown prosecutions.
In the budget, legal services will take a $5-million cut in 2020, with a 30 per cent decrease planned over four years.
Other department operating expenses remain flat.
Resolution and court administration services, while remaining steady for 2020-21, will see an 18 per cent cut over four years.
Alberta Justice was previously forecast to see $88 million in budget reductions over four years, but those cuts are now estimated at $33 million from the $1.44-billion department forecast.