To be accepted, your application for qualification must meet certain criteria.
Eligible criminal offences
Only criminal offences committed on or after March 1, 1972 are eligible.
All criminal offences against the person provided for in the Criminal Code that affect a person's physical or psychological well-being are eligible for the plan. Offences against property are excluded.
For criminal offences committed before October 13, 2021, the time limit for submitting an application for qualification to IVAC is 2 years. The criminal offence must:
- have been committed in Quebec between March 1, 1972 and October 12, 2021
- be an offence provided for in the Criminal Code that affects the person’s physical or psychological well-being and be named in the
schedule to the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Offences against property, such as fraud, are excluded
The person must also meet the criteria set out in the Act to assist persons who are victims of criminal offences and to facilitate their recovery (AAPVCO), section 180, paragraph 1(1).
Where the offence is committed
A victim of a criminal offence committed in Quebec may file an application for qualification even if they live outside Quebec.
A victim of a criminal offence committed outside Quebec may receive financial assistance if the offence is considered a criminal offence in Canada.
The victim must, at the time of the criminal offence:
- be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or have any other status determined by regulation
- be domiciled in Quebec
- have stayed in Quebec for at least 183 days in the year preceding the criminal offence, excluding exceptions determined by regulation
The victim must also, at the time of their application for qualification, be:
- a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or have any other status determined by regulation
- domiciled in Quebec
If the criminal offence was committed in another province or territory of Canada, the victim must first apply to the existing victim compensation plan in the other province or territory. If the amount provided for in this plan is less than the amount of financial assistance the victim would be entitled to under IVAC’s plan, they may apply to IVAC to obtain the difference.
For offences committed outside Canada, the person must choose between IVAC’s plan and that of the State where the offence was committed.
Belong to one of the categories of victims
To be eligible for financial assistance under the AAPVCO, the victim must belong to one of the categories of crime victims. They may file their application for qualification on their own as of 14 years of age. They are not obliged to file a complaint against their assailant or to identify them, or to have them prosecuted or convicted as a result of criminal proceedings.
Consult the video clip Les critères de qualification (in French only) produced by the Ministère de la Justice for a summary of the eligibility requirements.