Minister Day Announces a Crime Prevention Project in the Niagara Region

ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO–(Nov. 19, 2007) – Today the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, along with the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, announced close to $1.7 million in funding to support a crime prevention project in the Niagara region.”As outlined in the Speech from the Throne, our government will go further with the Safer Communities Strategy to deal with the critical intersection of drug, youth and property crime,” said Minister Day. “The funding announced today will help youth at risk make better choices and reduce the likelihood that they will end up committing crimes.”

“Today’s announcement provides an opportunity to ensure our youth are not drawn into a life marked by drugs and violence,” said Minister Nicholson. “This initiative reflects this Government’s commitment to respond to the problems posed by youth crime using fair and appropriate measures to hold young people accountable when they break the law.”

“We’ll continue to work with our partners to make Ontario communities stronger and safer,” said Ontario Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci. “Helping to prevent crime and providing positive alternatives to young Ontarians is key in achieving that goal.”

“I am pleased to see the commitment from the federal government on their Safe Communities Strategy,” said Chief of Police Wendy E. Southall of the Niagara Regional Police Service. “Long term solutions for youth in our communities will only be achieved through collaboration between all community and government partners. The Niagara Regional Police look forward to our partnership role in this important crime prevention initiative.”

The Niagara Citizens Advisory Committee Inc. is receiving a contribution of $1,699,597 over four years to implement Youth Options for Success – Project Y.O.S. to reduce the presence of gang related activity in affected areas of the Niagara region. Each year, this project will work with approximately 80 high risk youth, aged 16 to 24, who are in conflict with the law and/or face significant risk of engaging in gang activity.

As part of Public Safety Canada, the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) provides funding to strategically selected projects that contribute to preventing and reducing crime in Canada and to increasing knowledge about what works in crime prevention.

Crime prevention funding is focused on priorities established in partnership with stakeholders, using careful analysis of key crime trends. Priorities for support include:

– supporting vulnerable families and children at risk;

– preventing youth gang and drug-related crime;

– preventing recidivism among high-risk groups; and

– fostering prevention in Aboriginal communities.

For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.

For more information, please contact

Office of the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
Melisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
613-991-2863

or

Public Safety Canada
Media Relations
613-991-0657