More than one year after the commissioner of the B.C. missing women inquiry recommended that children of Robert Pickton’s victims receive monetary compensation, payments are finally on the way.

Lawyers representing 13 families in lawsuits against the City of Vancouver and the province say they are prepared to accept settlements in 12 of those cases. Victims’ children will receive $50,000 each plus legal costs.

Michelle Pineault, of one of the 12 families and whose daughter Stephanie Lane's DNA was found on the Pickton farm, told the Straight that she’s pleased with the amount that her grandson will receive, but that it’s been a “long time coming”.

“There’s no perfect resolution,” Pineault said. “There is no amount of money that will ever bring any of these women back. But this is the end of another chapter in our lives.”

Jason Gratl, one of the lawyers representing the victims’ families, told the Straight that he is satisfied with the settlement.

“It’s not compensation for the loss of a mother, but it represents an opportunity to try and make up for some of the disadvantage suffered from the loss of a mother,” he added.

The lawsuit was launched in May 2013 and claims that the Crown and police failed to adequately protect women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Gratl said that when the case returns to court on March 18, attention will turn to Pickton’s brothers.

“Our clients intend to advocate for changes to wrongful death laws to allow for punitive damage awards in cases of intentional homicide,” he said. “That’s the focus from here.”

A compensation fund for the children of missing and murdered women was one of 63 recommendations outlined in Wally Oppal’s Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, which was issued in December 2012.

On March 13, 2013, the B.C. Ministry of Justice pledged $5 million to take further action on the implementation of those recommendations.

Among other initiatives, the provincial government has promised more than $845,000 to 12 different organizations that are positioned to support the prevention of violence against women.