BILL NO. 221
(as introduced)
1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
4 Charles III, 2026
Private Member's Public Bill
Victim Services Program Review Act
The Honourable Iain Rankin
Timberlea–Prospect
First Reading: March 3, 2026
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Provide for a Review
of the Victim Services Program
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Victim Services Program Review Act.
"Minister" means the Minister of Justice;
"Panel" means the Victim Services Review Panel established under Section 3;
"Program" means the Victim Services Program administered by the Department of Justice.
3 (1) There is hereby established a Victim Services Review Panel.
(2) The Panel consists of not fewer than 15 and not more than 20 members appointed by the Governor in Council, including
(a) at least two persons with lived experience as a victim of crime;
(b) at least two representatives of organizations providing support to survivors of gender-based violence, including sexual assault centres and transition houses;
(c) at least two representatives of Indigenous communities;
(d) at least two representatives of African Nova Scotian communities; and
(e) persons with expertise in trauma-informed practice, justice policy and victim advocacy.
(3) The Governor in Council shall designate one member of the Panel to serve as its Chair.
(4) The Panel must be independent in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties.
4 (1) The Panel shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Program.
(2) The review must assess, without limiting the generality of subsection (1),
(a) the accessibility of services to victims of crime across the Province, including Indigenous and African Nova Scotian communities, victims of gender-based violence and those in rural and remote areas;
(b) the effectiveness of services in meeting the needs of victims, including survivors of gender-based violence;
(c) the adequacy of resources, staffing, training and specialization;
(d) coordination of police, prosecutors, health providers, shelters, transition houses and community organizations with each other; and
(e) best practices and innovations in other jurisdictions for supporting victims of crime.
5 (1) In carrying out its review, the Panel shall conduct consultations with
(a) victims of crime who have accessed or attempted to access the Program, with particular attention to survivors of gender-based violence;
(b) community-based organizations, including those supporting survivors of gender-based violence;
(c) Indigenous, African Nova Scotian and other culturally diverse communities; and
(d) law enforcement, prosecutors, health professionals and justice sector stakeholders.
(2) The Panel shall ensure that consultation processes are safe, accessible, culturally competent and trauma-informed, with appropriate supports for participants.
6 (1) The Panel shall submit a report on its review, including its findings and recommendations, to the Minister within 12 months of the coming into force of this Act.
(2) The Minister shall table the report in the House of Assembly within 30 days of receiving it or, where the House is not then sitting, within 15 days of its next sitting.
(3) The report must include recommendations for legislative, regulatory or policy changes to improve the Program, with particular attention to services for survivors of gender-based violence.
7 (1) Within two months of tabling the Panel's report in the House of Assembly or, where the House is not then sitting, within 15 days of its next sitting, the Minister shall table in the House a formal written response on behalf of the Government.
(2) The response must indicate which recommendations the Government accepts, how they will be implemented and, where recommendations are not accepted, the reasons for not doing so.
8 (1) Beginning one year after the Government's response is tabled, and annually thereafter until all accepted recommendations are implemented, the Minister shall table in the House of Assembly a progress report.
(2) The progress report must set out
(a) measures taken to implement accepted recommendations;
(b) timelines for outstanding actions; and
(c) any barriers encountered and steps being taken to address them.
(3) Each annual progress report must be made publicly available on a Government website within 15 days of being tabled.
9 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2026 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 3, 2026. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
