Are you a Victim of Crime?
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Making a Complaint 
Victims Have the Right to Make a Complaint
The information in this booklet is intended to help victims of crime in New Brunswick understand how to file a complaint with the appropriate agency or department if they feel their rights were violated as they navigated the criminal justice process.
Since victims may deal with several different provincial and federal criminal justice agencies, each with its own complaints process, knowing how and where to make a complaint can be confusing.
This booklet sets out the internal complaint mechanisms of the departments responsible for:
- reviewing complaints;
- making recommendations to correct rights violations; and
- letting victims know about the outcome of the review.
Know Your Rights as a Victim
For more information about your rights see the booklet Are You a Victim of Crime? Know Your Rights. It outlines the full range of victims’ rights provided for in the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, which came into effect on July 23, 2015. One of those rights is to make a complaint if you believe your rights have been violated.
POLICE AGENCIES
Municipal or Regional Police Force
You have the right to make a complaint if you believe police have violated your rights as a victim.
To make a complaint that your rights as a victim were denied or breached, send a written complaint to the Chief of Police or officer in charge of where the incident happened.
There are 9 regional/municipal police forces in New Brunswick. Their contact info is available at: New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/public-safety/law-enforcement-and-inspections/content/policing.html
If you prefer, you can send a written complaint directly to:
Email: nbpc@gnb.ca
Mail:
New Brunswick Police Commission
Fredericton City Centre
435 King Street, Suite 202 Fredericton NB E3B 1E5
If you prefer, you can complete and access a complaint form online.
https://nbpolicecommission.ca/content/dam/nbpc-cpnb/pdf/Complaint-Formulairedeplainte/ComplaintForm.pdf
Questions about filing your complaint?
(506) 453-2069
www.nbpolicecommission.ca/site/en/
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
If you feel your rights, under the Victims Bill of Rights, have been infringed by the RCMP, you can complain formally to either:
- Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (the Commission) at www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca; or
- a member or employee of the RCMP
After the complaint is reviewed, a Final Report will be issued to the complainant.
If you are not happy with the response outlined in the Report, you can ask the New Brunswick Police Commission to review it.
- If satisfied, the Commission will report back in writing to you, the RCMP employees involved, the Minister of Public Safety, and the Commissioner of the RCMP.
- If not satisfied, the Commission may consider further action such as starting its own investigation, sending an Interim Report to the RCMP Commissioner and Minister of Public Safety, and so on. The RCMP Commissioner must respond to an Interim Report and offer explanations.
The New Brunswick Police Commission does not deal with complaints against the RCMP. They may be able to assist you in forwarding your complaint to the RCMP.
VICTIM SERVICES
NB Department of Justice and Public Safety
If you disagree with the decision made about your eligibility or compensation received through the compensation for Victims of Crime program, you can write directly to the Minister of Justice and Public Safety to appeal. The Minister will review your file and any new information relating to the grounds of appeal and will let you know in writing the results of your appeal and the reasons for the decision.
By mail:
Department of Justice and Public Safety
Minister of Justice and Public Safety
Marysville Place
Floor: 3 P. O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Canada
If you believe your rights as a victim were denied by staff at Victim Services, you should contact the regional director in your area to discuss your concerns.
Victim Services – Regional Directors
- Central................. 506-453-2768
- South................... 506-658-3742
- North................... 506-735-2030
- East...................... 506-856-2875
If you have concerns about your access to Victim Services, contact the nearest Victim Services office to ask for an explanation.
Victim Services Offices in New Brunswick
- Bathurst........................ 506-547-2795
- Campbellton................. 506-789-2339
- Edmundston.................. 506-336-3704
- Elsipogtog First Nation. 506-523-4747
- Fredericton.................... 506-453-2768
- Grand Falls................... 506-473-7706
- Miramichi..................... 506-627-4065
- Moncton....................... 506-856-2875
- Saint John..................... 506-658-3742
- St. Stephen................... 506-466-7414
- Tracadie-Sheila............ 506-394-3690
- Woodstock................... 506-325-4422
If you are not satisfied with the response by the Department of Justice and Public Safety, you can make a complaint to the New Brunswick Ombudsman.
To make a complaint with the New Brunswick Ombudsman
Online
www.ombudnb.ca
For more information, communicate with:
Phone: 1-888-465-1100
Fax: 506-453-5599
Email: ombud@gnb.ca
Mail:
New Brunswick Ombudsman
P. O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB Canada E3B 5H1
National Office for Victims
The National Office for Victims, Public Safety Canada has an obligation to:
- provide victims with general information about the criminal justice system; and
- refer victims to the CSC and the PBC so that they can obtain information about the offenders who harmed them.
If you feel that either or both of the above obligations were not met, this could be a violation of your rights under the Victims Bill of Rights.
To make a formal complaint, contact the National Office for Victims by submitting:
- your name, telephone number, and address;
- a description of how you feel your rights were violated;
- the date the alleged violation occurred with a brief description of events.
National Office for Victims
Phone: 1-866-525-0554
Fax: 613-949-6507
Email: ps.nationalofficeforvictims-bureaunationalpourlesvictimes.sp@canada.ca
Mail:
National Office for Victims
Public Safety Canada
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1A 0P8
Online:
https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/crrctns/ntnl-ffc-vctms-en.aspx
Victim Services provided by Police Agencies
Some police forces have victim services units that provide assistance to victims at the scene of a crime.
To make a complaint about one of these services, follow the appropriate complaint protocol outlined in the section on Police Agencies.
COERRECTIONS AND PAROLE
NB Department of Justice and Public Safety, Community and Correction Services Branch
If you wish to make a complaint or raise a concern directed at the Corrections Branch regarding your rights as a victim, the Department of Justice and Public Safety, Corrections Branch encourages you to contact your local office of Victim Services.
The Victim Services office will work through the Director of Correctional Services to have the complaint addressed.
If you feel your complaints or concerns are not being addressed adequately by the Department of Justice and Public Safety, you can contact the New Brunswick Ombudsman.
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)
You can file a complaint against the CSC if:
- you feel your right to information was violated by, for example, not receiving information about upcoming decisions in the offender’s case; and/or
- you feel any of your rights under the Victims Bill of Rights were violated during victim registration or during the processing of a no-contact order.
To make a complaint to CSC:
Phone: 1-866-806-2275
Email: GEN-NHQVictimServices@CSC-SCC.gc.ca
If you are unhappy with the CSC’s investigation into your matter, you can contact the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime.
Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime
Phone:
Tolle Free: 1-866-481-8429
Outside of Canada: 613-954-1651
Fax: 613-941-3498
Email: victimsfirst@ombudsman.gc.ca
Mail:
Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime
P.O. Box 55037
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A1
Parole Board of Canada (PBC)
If you feel your rights under the Victims Bill of Rights have been violated by the PBC, you should speak with a Regional Communication Officer (RCO). These officers may be able to deal with your complaint faster than if you made a formal complaint. Call 1-866-789-INFO (4636) to speak with an RCO.
If the RCO is unable to help you, you can complete a PBC Complaint Form and send it by either:
Fax: 613-941-9426
Email: victimcomplaints@pbc-clcc.gc.ca
Mail:
Victim Complaints
Parole Board of Canada
410 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R1
The PBC Complaints Process does not address:
- decisions about whether or not someone was made eligible for parole; or
- complaints about pardons or criminal record suspensions.
CROWN PRESECUTORS
Public Prosecutions, New Brunswick Office of the Attorney General
To make a complaint about a provincial Crown prosecutor, you should initially contact the Regional Crown Prosecutor in your area:
- Bathurst.................. 506-547-2160
- Campbellton........... 506-789-2308
- Caraquet................. 506-726-2794
- Edmundston............ 506-735-2027
- Fredericton............. 506-453-2819
- Miramichi............... 506-627-4015
- Moncton................. 506-856-2310
- Oromocto/Burton... 506-357-4033
- Saint John............... 506-658-2580
- Tracadie-Sheila...... 506-394-3727
- Woodstock............. 506-325-4416
If the Regional Crown Prosecutor cannot resolve your complaint, you should then be referred by the Regional Crown Prosecutor to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
If your complaint has still not been satisfactorily dealt with, you should then be referred to the Attorney General of New Brunswick.
Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC)
The PPSC is responsible for prosecuting charges with respect to offences created by federal laws. If a victim feels their rights have been violated, they can make a complaint against the PPSC regarding any of its employees, policies, procedures, or practices. However, victims cannot make complaints regarding anything outside the PPSC’s scope, including: court decisions; or specific legislation.
OTHER AGENCIES
New Brunswick Office of the Attorney General
If you feel your rights under the Victims Bill of Rights have been violated by a staff member at the Court Services office, you can make a complaint to the Court Attendance Supervisor at that location in writing, by telephone or in person.
If you are not satisfied with how your complaint was dealt with, or your complaint is about the Court Attendance Supervisor, you should address your concerns to the Regional Director responsible for that court location.
If you are still not satisfied, or your complaint is about the Regional Director, you can address your concerns to the the Executive Director of Court Services. If you are still not satisfied, contact the Assistant Deputy Minister, Court Services in Fredericton, NB.
Department of Justice Canada
If you feel your rights under the Victims Bill of Rights have been violated by the Department of Justice Canada, you can make a complaint to the Department of Justice by email or by mail within 90 days of the incident.
Before making your complaint, you must fill out a Pre-Assessment Form to see whether or not your complaint falls within the scope of the Department of Justice.
For more information on the complaint process, see www.justice.gc.ca/eng/contact/complaintplainte.html.
Email: victimrights@justice.gc.ca
Mail:
Department of Justice Canada
Policy Centre for Victim Issues
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0H8
Within 3 business days, you will be notified as to whether or not your complaint falls within the scope of the Department of Justice. If your complaint is “deemed admissible”, then you will also receive a complaint form along with the Department’s response.
On the complaint form, you will have to provide information such as details surrounding the incident in question and your contact information.
After that, you will receive a written response from the Department of Justice within 40 days, unless this time period is extended because your case is particularly complex.
There are several remedies that may be available to you if the Department of Justice believes you to have been wronged:
- Letter of apology without prejudice;
- Correction of public documents;
- Changes to, or development of new, department practices or policies.
RESOURCES
Making a Complaint: Helpful Websites
Provincial Resources
New Brunswick Department of Public Safety
www.gnb.ca/publicsafety
Public Prosecutions, Office of the Attorney General
https://www.victimsfirst.gc.ca/mac-fup/wtcwt-qgpne.html
Court Services, New Brunswick Department of Justice and Office of the Attorney General
https://www.courtsnb-coursnb.ca/content/cour/en.html
Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick
www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca
New Brunswick Police Commission
https://commissiondepolicenb.ca
New Brunswick Ombudsman
https://www.ombudnb.ca/site/en/how-do-i-make-a-complaint
Child and Youth Advocate Office
https://www.cyanb.ca/en/
Federal Resources
National Office for Victims, Public Safety Canada
https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/crrctns/ntnl-ffc-vctms-en.aspx
Policy Centre for Victim Issues, Department of Justice
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/index.html
Victims, Department of Justice
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/index.html
Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (RCMP)
www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca
National Parole Board of Canada, Victims of Crime
https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/victims.html
Correctional Service of Canada
https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/victims/003006-index-en.shtml
Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime
https://www.victimsfirst.gc.ca/
Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) is a non-profit charitable organization. Its goal is to provide New Brunswickers with information on the law. PLEIS-NB receives funding and in-kind support from the Department of Justice Canada, the New Brunswick Law Foundation and the New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety.
This publication is one in a series of resources on victim’s rights. Check out the publications Know Your Rights and You Can Ask for No-Contact with the Offender. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the New Brunswick Department Justice and Public Safety. Many thanks to the professionals, Crown prosecutors, and other members of the New Brunswick Law Society who assisted with the review of this publication.
This publication does not contain a complete statement of the law in this area and laws change from time to time. Anyone needing advice on their specific legal position should consult a lawyer.
Jointly published by:
Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Tel.: 506-453-5369
Fax: 506-462-5193
Email: pleisnb@web.ca
www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca
and
New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Tel.: 506-453-3992
www.gnb.ca/publicsafety
ISBN: 978-1-4605-0415-4
March 2021
Disclaimer: Please note that our website contains general information about the law. This is not a complete statement of the law on particular topics. We try to update our publications often, but laws change frequently so it is important for you to check to make sure the information is up to date. The information in our publications is not a substitute for legal advice. To receive legal advice about your specific situation, you need to speak to a lawyer.
