The Ontario government’s Victim Quick Response Program + , an enhanced program to support victims of violent crimes, will begin operation on Oct. 1.

According to a statement by the Ministry of the Attorney General, unlike the previous system, the new program aims to avoid victims reliving their trauma due to a long and complex adjudicative process. The supports provided cover various needs such as emergency and essential expenses, funerals and counselling costs.

Under the VQRP+, designated agencies in communities across Ontario will support victims in the immediate aftermath of a crime and will assist victims in accessing the supports they need. The new program, MAG said, builds on the existing VQRP by making it quicker and easier for victim to access services and supports. The program is open to victims of violence — including intimate partner violence, human trafficking, homicide, and hate crimes — and their family members.