Law proposed by northern Ontario MP would allow judges to award money to outreach groups

A federal law proposed by a northern Ontario MP could see community groups get funding through the justice system.

The private member's bill from Sudbury Liberal Viviane Lapointe would allow judges who issue fines to criminals to direct that "restitution" money to charitable organizations.

The bill specifically mentions groups combatting homelessness, addiction and human trafficking.

Cristina Scarpellini, the founder of Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking in Sudbury, says this came up at the trial of a man who was running a local prostitution ring.

"Although the survivor did mention to me that she did feel that there was justice, but she did say to me, 'You know, where's all my money that I made him? Why's he allowed to keep that? Why isn't it going to organizations or myself?" she said.

Evie Ali is executive director of the Go-Give Project in Sudbury, which is on the frontlines of the city's addiction and homelessness crisis.

Her group has said it might have to cut back some services in the new year due to a lack of money and receiving restitution money from the courts could really help their finances.

Ali hopes that if the law is used, that it targets the large-scale drug traffickers.

"We're looking at those that are really profiting off of crimes. We're not looking at your 'Average Joe' dealer that's down the street," she said.

"And the money that is being filtered through northern Ontario alone right now is incredible on the drug front. So we know the money's out there."

How much money exactly, Lapointe says, isn't known as how much restitution is ordered by individual judges across Canada is "a tough thing to track."

Lapointe says she has been asked if these charities should just get more direct funding from governments, rather than depending on a court order.

"I don't see this as an either or. I see it as every amount of funding that we can get, is very important," she said.

Lapointe says judges technically have the power to grant restitution to charities, "but they rarely do" and she hopes her bill helps to clarify how those community costs might be defined.