I can say that restitution is unfortunately rarely ordered by the courts, and most often it is for property offences. One of the requirements of the code is that you have an actual set amount. If it's a broken TV and I know that my TV cost $500, I can give that to the court.
Courts have discretion around providing orders of restitution in non-property related expenses, but those are often difficult to quantify. So when it comes to a sentence that often takes place quickly because there's a plea bargain and all those things, restitution is rarely part of the sentence.
It often can be very frustrating for victims who expect to receive the restitution. Often, it's coupled with probation orders. A guy would get a provincial sentence and a probation order, and if he doesn't pay the restitution order at the end of his sentence, it's up to the victim to go to civil court to try to get that money back. That's not a practical process for most victims of crime. They just don't have the means or, frankly, sometimes the energy to go through that.
So it's doubly frustrating when someone is ordered to pay restitution and doesn't do it. What we know from the research is that victims often appreciate even the attempt to provide restitution. Let's say someone owes you $1,000, is making efforts to pay it back, and gives you $100. So it might take years, but that attempt is more meaningful for victims than government compensation.