TORONTO, Aug. 16 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is supporting ten

organizations to help victims of domestic violence who have limited

proficiency in English, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mike Colle announced today.

    "We are breaking down language barriers to provide non-English speaking

victims of domestic violence with access to the services they need," said

Colle. "The Language Interpreter Services program is the only one of its kind

in all of Canada."

    Reinforcing the McGuinty government's Domestic Violence Action Plan, this

$1.9 million investment in the Language Interpreter Services program for  

2005-06 will help victims of domestic violence gain better access to shelters,

legal and social services, and health care.

    "This investment supports our Domestic Violence Action Plan, which helps

mobilize communities to address domestic violence," said Minister of Women's

Issues Sandra Pupatello. "By working together, we can better protect victims

of domestic violence and reduce domestic violence in Ontario over the long

term."

    Anne-Marie Gardner, Executive Director of The Redwood, an organization

that provides this service, added: "There are important supports for victims

that may be inaccessible if you don't speak the language. Funding for this

program means we can connect Ontarians for whom English is not a first

language to the essential services they need."

    The Domestic Violence Action Plan includes enhanced counselling and

housing supports for victims, more training for frontline workers,

improvements to the justice system and an innovative public education

campaign.

    "Through the important work of these organizations, we are helping to

build strong communities and a stronger Ontario," said Colle.

    Disponible en français

                          www.citizenship.gov.on.ca

    Backgrounder

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

           LANGUAGE INTERPRETER SERVICES GRANT RECIPIENTS 2005-06

    Greater Toronto Area

    --------------------

    The Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic assists shelters, social, legal

and health care services that work with victims of domestic violence in the

Toronto area and the domestic violence court system (including the hospital-

based domestic violence projects) in Toronto (Old City Hall and College Park),

North York, Sudbury and Gore Bay. 2005-06 grant - $417,368.

    The Multilingual Community Interpreter Services assists services that

work with victims of domestic violence in Scarborough, Durham, York and Peel

Regions, and the domestic violence court system (including hospital-based

domestic violence projects) in Scarborough, Newmarket, Bracebridge, Parry

Sound, Whitby, Brampton, Milton, Orangeville, Barrie, North Bay, Collingwood,

Midland, Orillia, Bradford and Haileybury. The agency will also provide

services to the police working with victims of domestic violence in the

Toronto area. 2005-06 grant - $440,671.

    Eastern Ontario

    ---------------

    The Kingston and District Immigrant Services assists shelters, social,

legal and health care services and the domestic violence court system

(including the hospital-based domestic violence projects) in Napanee,

Cornwall, Belleville, Picton, Pembroke, Brockville, Perth, L'Orignal,

Kingston, Peterborough, Lindsay and Cobourg. 2005-06 grant - $105,849.

    Immigrant Women Services Ottawa assists shelters, social, legal and

health care services that work with victims of domestic violence in the 

Ottawa-Carleton area, and the Domestic Violence Court system (including the

hospital-based domestic violence project) in Ottawa-Carleton. 2005/06 grant -

$266,011.

    Southwestern Ontario

    --------------------

    Across Languages, London, assists shelters, social, legal and health care

services that work with victims of domestic violence in the London area, and

the domestic violence court system (including hospital-based domestic violence

projects) in London, St. Thomas, Owen Sound, Walkerton, Sarnia, Stratford,

Woodstock, Goderich, Brantford, Cayuga and Simcoe. 2005-06 grant - $168,372.

    Information Niagara assists shelters, social, legal and health care

services that work with victims of domestic violence in the Niagara Region,

and the domestic violence court system in St. Catharines, Welland/Niagara

Falls and Hamilton. 2005-06 grant - $192,614.

    The Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre assists shelters, social,

legal and health care services that work with victims of domestic violence in

Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph, and the domestic violence court

system (including the hospital-based domestic violence projects) in Kitchener

and Guelph. 2005-06 grant - $87,240.

    The Multicultural Council of Windsor & Essex County assists service

providers who work with victims of domestic violence in Windsor-Essex, and the

domestic violence court system (including the hospital-based domestic violence

projects) in Windsor and Chatham. 2005-06 grant - $81,093.

    Northern Ontario

    ----------------

    The Thunder Bay Multicultural Association assists shelters, social, legal

and health care services that work with victims of domestic violence in

Thunder Bay and the surrounding area, and the domestic violence court system

(including the hospital-based domestic violence projects) in Thunder Bay,

Timmins, Kapuskasing and Sault Ste. Marie. 2005-06 grant - $63,112.

    The Multicultural Association of Kenora & District assists shelter,

social, legal and health care services which work with victims of domestic

violence in Kenora, Sioux Lookout, and the surrounding area and the domestic

violence court system in Kenora, Dryden and Fort Francis. 2005-06 grant -

$70,933.

    Disponible en français

                          www.citizenship.gov.on.ca

    Backgrounder

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    LANGUAGE INTERPRETER SERVICES GRANTS

    Language Interpreter Services grants support the development, delivery

and evaluation of spoken language interpreter services that enable both male

and female victims of domestic violence with limited English proficiency to

use the services of shelters, social, health care and legal services, and the

domestic violence court system.

    Organizations that receive these grants deliver interpretation services

at no cost to providers of social, health and legal services and associated

agencies. These include: police officers, Crown attorneys, the Victim/Witness

Assistance Program, the Partner Assault Response Program, and probation and

parole officers.

    Eligible organizations must be incorporated and non-profit, and be able

to deliver spoken language interpreter services that meet the criteria

established by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

    In 2004-05, the government invested $1.9 million in support to 10

agencies. This program enabled 3,569 victims speaking 64 different languages

to access the services of 425 organizations across Ontario.

    For further information on this program, contact: the Immigration and

Settlement Unit, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, 3rd floor, 400

University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M7A 2R9, or by calling 1-800-267-7329 or

416-314-7541.