Backgrounder

For Immediate Release
July 13, 2007

The government is investing $6 million in three new, easy-to-access government services that will help to ensure that thousands of victims of violent crime across the province receive immediate, effective and compassionate assistance.

The Victim Quick Response Program will be available fast and close to home, offering supports to victims who have no other financial means to access the help they need. The services will be available locally in over 50 communities across Ontario starting July 16, 2007. They will be available for victims of incidents that take place on or after June 30, 2007.

• Emergency Expenses - for eligible victims, to secure premises for victim safety, provide crime scene clean up services and cover transportation and dependant care costs where a family member must travel to identify a homicide victim or support a seriously injured victim of violent crime
• Funeral Expenses - to assist eligible families of homicide victims
• Counselling - to provide short-term, early intervention counselling to help victims of serious crimes recover from their experience.

Starting July 16 victims may contact the agencies listed below.

SERVICE DELIVERY ORGANIZATIONS

Central Region

Barrie & Area	Barrie & Area Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services (VCARS) Barrie	705-725-7025 ext 2120
Durham	Victim Services of Durham Region Whitby	905-579-1520 ext 1846 or 1-888-579-1520 ext 1846 Toll Free from calling areas 905, 416, 705
Kawartha/ Haliburton	Kawartha/Haliburton Victim Services Coboconk	705-454-1884 or 1-800-574-4401 Toll Free
Muskoka	Muskoka Victim Services Bracebridge	705-645-5444 or 1-877-229-2217 Toll Free
North Simcoe	North Simcoe Victim Crisis Services Orillia	705-325-5578
Peterborough/ Northumberland	Peterborough/Northumberland Victim Services Peterborough	705-748-0324 or 1-888-822-7729 Toll Free
York	Victim Services of York Region Markham	905-474-2955 or 905-881-1221 ext 7515

Central West Region

Brant	Victim Services of Brant Brantford	519-752-3140
Caledon/Dufferin	Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services Bolton	905-951-3838 or 1-888-743-6496 Toll Free
	Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services Orangeville	519-942-1452 or 1-888-742-2658 Toll Free
	Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services Shelburne	519-925-1001
Haldimand-Norfolk	Victim Services of Haldimand-Norfolk Hagarsville	905-768-2221 or 1-800-264-6671 Toll Free
Halton	Victim Services of Peel Brampton	905-568-1068
Hamilton	Niagara Victim Crisis Support Services St. Catharines	905-682-2626
Niagara	Niagara Victim Crisis Support Services St. Catharines	905-682-2626
Peel	Victim Services of Peel Brampton	905-568-1068
Waterloo Region	Victim Services of Waterloo Region Kitchener	519-585-2363
	Victim Services of Waterloo Region Cambridge	519-653-7700 ext 2264
Wellington	Victim Services Wellington GuelphVictim Services Wellington Mount Forest	519-824-1212 ext 205 519-323-9660

East Region

Frontenac	Frontenac VCARS Kingston	613-548-4834
Lanark	VCARS - Lanark County Smiths Falls (from August 1, 2007)	613-284-8380 or 1-866-575-0067 Toll Free from calling area
	Until August 1, 2007 call Leeds & Grenville VCARS	(613)613-341-7700 or 1-800-939-7682 Toll Free
Leeds & Grenville	Leeds & Grenville VCARS Brockville	613-341-7700 or 1-800-939-7682 Toll Free
Prescott-Russell	Victim Assistance Services of Ottawa-Carleton Ottawa	613-238-2762
Lennox & Addington, Prince Edward & Hastings	Community Crisis Assistance, Referral & Emergency Support (C.C.A.R.E.S.) Napanee	613-354-0894 or 1-866-680-9972 Toll Free
City of Ottawa	Victim Assistance Services of Ottawa-Carleton Ottawa	613-238-2762
Renfrew County	Renfrew County VCARS Douglas	613-649-2852 or 1-877-568-5730 Toll Free
Stormont, Dundas,Akwesasne	VCARS of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry & Akwesasne Cornwall	613-938-8900 or 1-866-264-8900 Toll Free

North Region

Algoma & District	Algoma District VCARS Sault Ste. Marie	705-945-6905 or 1-888-822-7792 Toll Free
Cochrane	Cochrane - Smooth Rock Falls VCARS Cochrane	705-272-2598
	Cochrane - Smooth Rock Falls VCARS Smooth Rock Falls	705-338-2188
Fort Frances	Rainy River District Victim Services Program Fort Frances	807-274-5687 or 1-866-484-5687 Toll Free
Greenstone	Greenstone Victim Services Geraldton	807-854-4357
Kapuskasing	Smooth Rock Falls Counselling Services Kapuskasing	705-335-8468
Kenora	North Regional Office Ontario Victim Services Secretariat	807-468-2890
Manitoulin	North Regional Office Ontario Victim Services Secretariat	705-564-7370
Marathon/Manitouwadge	Superior North Victim Services Marathon	807-229-8877
Michipicoten	Wawa and Area Victim Services Wawa	705-856-7852
Nipissing	Near North VCARS North Bay/Mattawa	705-472-2649
	Near North VCARS Sturgeon Falls	705-753-9194
Parry Sound	District of Parry Sound VCARS Parry Sound/Burks Falls	705-746-0508
Sioux Lookout, Lac Seul	Ah-shawah-bin Sioux Lookout/Lac Seul Victim Support Services Sioux Lookout	807-737-1700
	Ah-shawah-bin Sioux Lookout / Lac Seul Victim Support Services Lac Seul	807-582-9800
Sudbury	Sudbury and Area VCARS Sudbury	705-522-6970
Temiskaming& District	Temiskaming & District VCARS New Liskeard	705-647-0096
	Temiskaming & District VCARS Kirkland Lake	705-568-2154
Thunder Bay	Thunder Bay & Area VCARS Thunder Bay	807-684-1051
Timmins & District	Timmins & District VCARS Timmins	705-264-4242
	Timmins & District VCARS Iroquois Falls	705-232-4351

Toronto Region

Toronto

Victim Services Program of Toronto Inc. Toronto

416-808-7066

West Region

Chatham-Kent	Chatham-Kent Victim Services Chatham	519-436-6630
Elgin	Victim Services Elgin St. Thomas	519-631-3182
Grey / Bruce	Victim Services of Bruce, Grey & Owen Sound, Owen Sound	519-376-7474 1-888-577-3111 Toll Free
	Victim Services of Bruce, Grey & Owen Sound Hanover	519-364-7817
	Victim Services of Bruce, Grey & Owen Sound Port Elgin	519-389-5000
Huron	Victim Services of Huron CountyGoderich	519-524-4108
Middlesex	Victim Services of Middlesex CountyStrathroy	519-245-6660
Oxford	Victim Assistance Services of OxfordCounty Woodstock	519-537-2824
Perth	Victim Services of Perth CountyStratford	519-271-9998 or 1-866-387-7773 Toll Free
Sarnia / Lambton	Victim Services of Sarnia-LambtonSarnia	519-344-8861 ext 5238 or 1-888-281-3665 ext 5238 Toll Free
Windsor & Essex	Victim Services of Windsor and Essex County Essex	519-723-2711 or 1-888-732-6228 Toll Free
	Victim Services of Windsor and Essex County Leamington	519-791-8679 (Only on Mondays)

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