Community Support and Healing for Families

Supporting families of missing and murdered Indigenous people on their healing journey is a priority for Justice Canada.

This is why we support, through the Community Support and Healing for Families initiative, community-based organizations that deliver services for families of missing or murdered Indigenous people. Funding for these activities helps fill gaps where needs are high, building on the work of Indigenous organizations and specialized victim services programs.

The Government of Canada established the Community Support and Healing for Families initiative in 2016 to support families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. In 2023, we increased funding to allow community organizations to deliver supports and services to support families of missing and murdered Indigenous people and Indigenous victims of crime (women, men, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people). Going forward, Indigenous-led initiatives that support families of missing and murdered Indigenous people are eligible for funding.

Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of this investment is to support culturally responsive, trauma-informed community-based services for families of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Funding is available to Indigenous community organizations across Canada to design and deliver culturally grounded, community-based initiatives and activities that provide direct support and assistance to family members of missing and murdered Indigenous people. The Community Support and Healing for Families initiative compliments the Family Information Liaison Units.

Culturally responsive services for families are those that are grounded in or informed by the various cultures of the families in need of assistance. A trauma-informed approach is grounded in client safety and empowerment. Trauma-informed victim service providers are guided by principles of creating a safe space, building trust, supporting client choice, respecting client control, and building on strengths. These principles are integrated into policies, procedures, practices and settings.

Projects address gaps where there are limited supports and services for families, and increase capacity where services were already being provided by Indigenous organizations.

Funding is linked to the following Victims Fund objectives:

1. Promote access to justice and participation by victims of crime in the justice system
2. Promote the development of law, policies and programs for victims of crime
3. Promote the implementation of principles, guidelines and laws designed to address the needs of victims of crime and articulate the victim’s role in the criminal justice system
4. Increase knowledge and awareness of the impact of victimization, the needs of victims of crime, available services, assistance and programs, and relevant legislation
5. Encourage governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify victim needs and gaps in services, and develop and deliver programs, services and assistance to victims of crime
6. Promote capacity-building within non-governmental organizations

For more Information

For further information, please contact the Victims Fund:

Victims Fund Manager
Programs Branch
Department of Justice Canada
284 Wellington Street, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8

Telephone: 613-941-4193
Fax: 613-954-4893
E-mail: pb-dgp@justice.gc.ca