Canada Boosts Black Justice Strategy Funding

As part of the implementation of Canada's Black Justice Strategy, the Government of Canada is providing over $8.6 million in funding over two years (2025-2027) for community organizations to develop culturally-responsive, supports and services for Black youth, victims and survivors of crime, and individuals navigating the criminal justice system. Funding is provided through the Justice Canada's Youth Justice Fund, Justice Partnership and Innovation Program, and Victims Fund. Projects and funding amounts for all finalized agreements are published on Grants and Contributions (canada.ca).

The Youth Justice Fund supports projects that encourage a more effective youth justice system, respond to emerging youth justice issues, and enable greater citizen and community participation in the youth criminal justice system.

Through this program, the Government of Canada is investing $2.1 million over two years for the following projects:

Alberta

• The Calgary John Howard Society will provide the "BIPOC Youth Crime Prevention Project" to support BIPOC youth who are reintegrating into the community from youth correctional facilities. Supports include one-on-one case management, translation services, support through legal and disciplinary processes, and community and cultural events.
• The Young Men's Christian Association of Edmonton O/A YMCA of Northern Alberta will provide the "YMCA YOU-Turn: Youth Reintegration Pathways" project to support high-risk youth across central and northern Alberta by connecting youth to employment services, mental health support, schooling, addiction treatment, housing, and more.

Ontario

• The For Youth Initiative in Toronto will deliver the "R.I.S.E: Re-Integrating the Socially Excluded 2.0" project to enhance reintegration and rehabilitative services for Black and racialized youth. These services will provide counselling, connect youth with local agencies that provide trauma and mental health services, and support holistic case management that is culturally responsive and helps youth to re-engage with their community.
• Friends In Toronto Community Services will provide the "Circle of Change Restorative Justice program", a culturally informed youth restorative justice project that uses healing circles to facilitate the restoration and reintegration process for Black and other racialized youth involved in the youth justice system.
• The John Howard Society of York Region will deliver the "Youth Reintegration Program" to support Indigenous, Black, and other racialized youth in contact with the criminal justice system. The project will help youth establish positive support systems, increase learning skills, access healthcare for physical and mental health needs, address food insecurity, acquire stable housing and employment, and obtain education.
• The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Youth Justice Division, Government of Ontario in Toronto will provide the "Enhancement of Programing for Black and Indigenous Youth in the Justice System to Address Over-Representation" project to address gender-based violence and the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous Youth in the criminal justice system.
• Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education in Toronto will provide the "Transitional School for Transformation: Socio-culturally Reflective Models of Support" project. This project will offer educational supports and other individualized culturally responsive programming to justice-involved youth, particularly Black youth, including gang exit programs, substance abuse and mental health supports, educational training, and employment opportunities.

Prince Edward Island

• The Government of the Province of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown will provide the "Enhanced Rehabilitative Programming for Racialized and Marginalized Youth" project, offering more responsive rehabilitative programming and policy development to improve services and supports for BIPOC and 2SLGBTQI+ youth.

Justice Partnership and Innovation Program

The Justice Partnership and Innovation Program provides funding for projects that support a fair, relevant and accessible Canadian justice system, and that respond effectively to changing conditions affecting Canadian justice policy.

Through this program, the Government of Canada is investing $3.6 million over two years for projects that empower Black people to be aware of, and understand the laws that apply to them, navigate justice processes and systems, and help make informed decisions when facing legal issues.

Alberta

• The African Canadian Civic Engagement Council in Edmonton will deliver culturally competent and trauma informed navigation services for Black adults navigating the criminal justice system.
• L'Alliance jeunesse-famille de l'Alberta Society in Edmonton will offer navigation services to help Black francophone adults resolve their criminal legal matters, including culturally sensitive and French accompaniment services to help them understand their rights and make informed decisions.

Ontario

• Jaku Konbit in Ottawa will help reduce systemic barriers for Black adults by providing culturally relevant legal information, support and navigation services. Navigators will also be trained in anti-racism, trauma informed practice and legal navigation.
• Think 2wice International in Toronto will seek to reduce the overrepresentation of Black adults in Canada's criminal justice system by providing culturally grounded, trauma-informed navigation and legal literacy supports. The project will also develop information resources and deliver legal education workshops.
• Tropicana Community Services of Scarborough in Toronto will provide the "Aya Black Justice Navigator Project" to help clients better understand legal processes, provide court preparation assistance, advocacy support and referrals, as well as deliver monthly workshops to support community awareness.

Quebec

• Clinique juridique de Saint-Michel in Montréal will provide justice navigation services for Black adults involved in the criminal justice system, providing trauma-informed and culturally appropriate assistance to prepare for court, understand documents and processes, and accompaniment throughout the system.

Saskatchewan

• Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation Inc. (TAYFFI) in Saskatoon will establish a Black-led legal clinic offering free legal guidance, legal information sessions and self-help resources. The project will also provide cultural brokerage services to improve the relationship between the justice system and Black communities.

Victims Fund

The Victims Fund supports projects and activities that encourage the development of new approaches, promote access to justice, improve the capacity of service providers, foster the establishment of referral networks, and increase awareness of services available to victims of crime and their families.

Through this program, the Government of Canada is investing over $2.9 million over two years for the following projects:

Alberta

• The Governors of the University of Calgary will conduct a research study with the goals of providing wraparound support to Black victims of crime, mentorship and work-integrated learning to Black high school and undergraduate students who are victims of crime, and developing a model created by and for the Black community.

Manitoba

• The Holistic Ongoing Opportunities Development Facilitation and Management Services, Inc. (HOODFAMS) in Winnipeg will provide the "HOODFAMS Roots of Strength" project to support Black youth aged 12 to 29 who have experienced gang violence, assault, or other forms of interpersonal crime and their families.

New Brunswick

• Atlantic Equity and Research Alliance, Inc. in Miramichi will provide the "Restorative Narratives Project: Healing through Justice for Black Victim-Survivors" to support to Black Canadians who have experienced crime, discrimination, or systemic harm.

Nova Scotia

• The Association of Black Social Workers' Project VOICE (Victim Outreach, Intervention, Counselling, and Education) in Dartmouth will support victims and survivors of violence and address programming gaps within African Nova Scotian and Black communities in Nova Scotia.

Ontario

• Black Legal Action Centre in Toronto will provide "The Black Circle of Care" project to support Black victims and survivors of crime who have been impacted by hate crime and gun violence.
• Black Mental Health Canada in Mississauga will provide the "BREATHE: Black Response for Empowerment, Advocacy and Trauma-Informed Healing and Equity Program", a 24/7 counselling and support service specifically designed for Black victims and survivors of crime.
• CanAfro Research Institute in Waterloo will conduct research documenting the lived experience of Black male survivors who have been criminalized after acts of self-defense or trauma response.
• The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Wanasah and the Black Creek Community Health Centre in Toronto will provide the "Supporting Families and Caregivers after Gun Violence" project, a family and caregiver support group for Black victims and survivors of crime impacted by gun violence.
• Women's Centre for Social Justice in Toronto will deliver training for service providers and governments to provide Black-centered supports and services for Black victims and survivors of gender-based violence.