Federal Government Provides Enhanced Funding to Koala Place

July 31, 2015 – Cornwall, ON – Department of Justice.

Today, Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, on behalf of Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Peter MacKay, announced funding of $160,000 over two years to the Koala Place CYAC Advancement Project.

Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) and Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYACs) help child and youth victims and their families navigate the criminal justice system. They provide a safe child- and youth-friendly environment where a coordinated team of professionals work to meet the specific needs of each person. The work of a multidisciplinary team in a CAC or a CYAC can greatly reduce the emotional and mental harm to child and youth victims involved in the criminal justice system.

In Economic Action Plan 2015, the Government committed to provide additional funding to CACs and CYACs. Starting in 2016-17, the Government will provide $5.25 million over four years, and $2.1 million on an annual basis thereafter, to make the support and services provided by CACs and CYACs more accessible in communities across the country.

“Our Government understands that Canada’s youngest victims of crime need special services and support,” Said Guy Lauzon, MP for SD&G. “I am proud to announce funding to Cornwall’s Koala Child and Youth Advocacy Centre as they provide much-needed, specialized care to the Cornwall Region.”

The funding will come in two installments, $80,000 in 2015-16 and the rest in 2016-17. The funding will be used to enhance the work of Koala Place to provide a comfortable, neutral, confidential, physically and psychologically safe child-friendly environment for children and youth who are victims of abuse, and to help them navigate the criminal justice system to greatly reduce the emotional and mental harm to the child.