About this award

The Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction (VSAD) recognizes the dedication and achievements of professionals, organizations and volunteers working to support people who have experienced victimization due to crime and raise awareness of victims’ issues in Ontario.

Who is eligible

Nominees must be Ontario residents, of any age, and be either:

  • individuals who have experienced victimization due to crime, their family members or others personally impacted by crime who have raised the profile of victims' issues in Ontario
  • volunteers who offer their time and personal resources to help people who have experienced victimization due to crime
  • professional practitioners and paid victim services providers who have gone above and beyond their regular duties while providing to support people who have experienced victimization due to crime
  • programs, groups and organizations that deliver innovative services to people who have experienced victimization due to crime

Crime refers to an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada).

The person or group you are nominating must agree to the nomination. They will be asked to consent to the collection of their information.

Who is not eligible

You cannot nominate yourself and we will not accept nominations for:

  • employees of federal, provincial and municipal governments and sworn police officers
  • people with criminal cases currently before the courts
  • people and organizations located outside Ontario, with exceptions made for human trafficking work

Nominate someone

Save and download the nomination application form. Do not open it in a browser.

To fill out the nomination form, select either “Individual Nomination” or “Group Nomination” at the bottom of page 1 and the form will expand.

Discuss and get consent from the nominee before submitting a nomination. Nominees must complete page 2 of the nomination form.

Send completed nomination applications to the Awards Planning Committee at AGVSAD@ontario.ca and include the subject line VSAD Nomination – Nominee’s Name.

Nominations must be received by midnight on Friday, January 19, 2024 EST.

If you need a Word version of the application or have questions about nominating an individual or group, please contact the Awards Planning Committee at AGVSAD@ontario.ca.

Recipients

Learn more about the 2022-23 award recipients and see a photo of the recipients from the 2022-2023 awards ceremony below.

Screenshot of Zoom video call where the Attorney General presented the Victim Services Awards of Distinction to the 2022-2023 recipients
Top Row: Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario Row 1: Jennifer Kagan, MPP John Jordan, Bonny Kaman Li, Carol Wildgoose, Amber MacDonald, Gillian MacIntosh and Chewie Row 2: Marie McCallum, MPP Lise Vaugeois, Charmaine Williams, ( Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity), Ann Hiller, Mandy Tait-Martens, Derrick Flynn (Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking) Row 3: Nicole Leblanc (ElleVive), Rowley Ramey (Seasons Centre for Grieving Children), Joan Kennedy (Seasons Centre for Grieving Children), Kate Cullen (Seasons Centre for Grieving Children), MPP Jamie West, Hailey Pride (Seasons Centre for Grieving Children) Row 4: Lisa Spinks (Seasons Centre for Grieving Children), Erin Stewart (Halton Regional Police – Victim Services Unit), Kimberley Clark (Halton Regional Police – Victim Services Unit), Chris Newcombe (Halton Regional Police – Victim Services Unit), Sonya Jodoin, ( Chair, Office for Victims of Crime), Olha Dobush (, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division, Ministry of the Attorney General) Row 5: Richard Dunwoody, Jaz Singh, Jordanne McLaren, Jasmin Guillen, Debbie Fortier, Paul and Flo Henderson-Bellman

View a larger version of this image (JPG) 

Learn about the award winners from 2021-22, 2020-21, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.