Funding from the British Columbia government will sustain the Safe Supports Project until March 2028
The Safe Supports Project, which aids survivors of intimate partner violence across British Columbia, has received provincial funding that will enable it to continue operating until March 2028.
The project helps victims with family law processes in the province’s rural, remote and northern communities. Victims receive assistance with the nuances of cases, with available legal options, and with securing court documents and protection orders.
The Safe Supports Project also assists victims with Provincial Court matters in the Robson Valley, Dawson Creek and the Smithers/Hazelton area. The project has provided both legal and non-legal help before, during, and after proceedings; it has aided victims in sourcing accurate information regarding their cases and in reaching out to appropriate legal and community services.
Three family support workers in local anti‑violence organizations offer safety planning, case management support, and system navigation. They also accompany clients to court appearances and aftercare. Moreover, an information gatherer in the Ministry of Attorney General’s Court Services Branch aids victims with access to their court records in family, criminal, and child-protection proceedings; this guides decisions by making relevant information available.
“Too often, family court processes retraumatize or inflict further harm upon survivors of intimate partner violence, worsening their isolation and stress. This is especially true in rural and remote areas that are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence and under-served by our legal system,” said BC attorney general Niki Sharma in a statement. “The Safe Supports Project provides crucial assistance at some of the most difficult times of people’s lives.”
Intimate partner violence victims, particularly those in rural and northern BC, faced safety risks, trauma, information gaps, complex court processes, and difficulties accessing legal and community services, according to the government. The Safe Supports Project was established in January 2022 after survivors and service providers pointed out that gaps in the assistance provided to sufferers of intimate partner violence for family law matters in court led to victims hesitating to engage with the justice system.
“Additional funding for the Safe Supports Project will help more survivors access help, reduce stress and be supported throughout the legal process and beyond,” said Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity.
From March 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the project supported 160 individuals at small and medium-sized centres mainly located in northern and remote regions. It answered 750 requests for family-law-related support like parenting arrangements, child support, and protection orders.
The Safe Supports Project referred 441 cases to legal services like legal aid, Family Justice Centres, and family law advocates. Participants attended 88 legal meetings and accompanied 47 to Provincial Court.
The project also made 309 referrals to non-legal services like counselling, housing, income and health. Local support service providers reported that the project assisted with shortages in lawyers and transportation options; it also helped with rare court sittings and improved inter-agency collaboration.
The Safe Supports Project has birthed the Aunties Program, a pilot program focusing on support workers for Indigenous people. The BC First Nations Justice Council’s Indigenous Justice Centres will administer this program.
The federal government funded the project during its pilot stage with a grant from its Justice Partnership and Innovation program; this funding expired in March. The BC government indicated that it would seek alternative sources of financing to extend and expand the project beyond 2028.
