About us
Who we are
The Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime (OFOVC) is an independent resource for victims in Canada. The Office was created in 2007 to ensure the federal government meets its responsibilities to victims of crime.
Victims can contact the Office to learn more about their rights under federal law and the services available to them, or to make a complaint about any federal agency or federal legislation dealing with victims of crime. In addition to its direct work with victims, the Office also works to ensure that policy makers and other criminal justice personnel are aware of victims' needs and concerns and to identify important issues and trends that may negatively impact victims. Where appropriate, the Ombudsperson may also make recommendations to the federal government.
Discover more on this page about the Office, the Ombudsperson, our mandate and policies, how we were created, and more importantly how we help victims.
How we can help victims
If you are a victim of crime, the OFOVC can:
- answer your questions about your rights as a victim;
- give you information about the services and programs available to you through the federal government;
- receive and review your complaints about federal government departments, agencies, laws or policies;
- refer you to programs and services in your city or province that may be able to help you; and
- make recommendations to the federal government on how to change its policies or laws to better suit the needs and concerns of victims, and to report on those recommendations publicly.
The OFOVC's services are free of charge.
We do not advocate on behalf of individual victims or provide legal advice.
The OFOVC can review matters that occurred only after the Office was created in March 2007, or at the request of either the Minister of Justice or the Minister of Public Safety.
The OFOVC cannot address decisions related to provincial matters, such as compensation.
How we came to be
We invite you to read about the Order in Council that led to the creation of our Office and the appointment of an ombudsperson.
Our mandate
Consult our mandate to find out about what it allows the OFOVC to do.
The Ombud
Visit the Meet the Ombudsperson's page if you wish to find out more about the current Ombud.
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