Government of Canada invests $5 million for crime prevention projects in Montréal

From: Public Safety Canada

News release

April 1, 2022 - Montréal, Québec

Keeping Canadians safe from gun violence and other crimes begins with our young people. Helping young Canadians make positive choices, develop their skills and stay in school means they’ll be much less likely to become involved in crime. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in crime prevention projects that meet the needs of youth, through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS).

To help more young people set themselves up for success in life, the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, today announced new federal support for four crime prevention projects in Greater Montreal, with $5 million in federal funding.

The Minister made the announcement at the Trevor Williams Kids Foundation, whose project The Trevor Williams Champions of Crime Prevention Program is receiving $713,060 in federal funding. This project offers services and supports to young people in Montréal between the ages of 6 and 25. From helping them build skills that will lead to education and employment opportunities to providing mental health care, it will make a difference in the lives of over 700 young people every year.

Minister Mendicino also announced federal support, through the Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF), for three other projects:

  • Maison d’Haïti’s Goût de Vivre project - just over $1 million for their project, which prevents violence and gang involvement among youth in the Villeray-Saint-Michel neighbourhood of Montréal, with $1 million in federal funding.
  • Montréal Indigenous Community NETWORK’s Strategy for safety, belonging and wellbeing for the Indigenous Peoples living in greater Montréal, which addresses the safety and wellbeing of Indigenous people in Montréal, with an emphasis on preventing violence among Indigenous youth, with $1.6 million in federal funding.
  • Cactus Montréal’s Transport(e) project, which offers substantial support and targeted services  to trans sex workers who want assistance in escaping the sex trade, with $1.7 million in federal funding.

Quotes

“The best way to protect our communities from gun violence and other criminal behaviour is to stop it before it even starts. The four projects announced today will do just that, helping young people set themselves up for success in life. Building safer communities through prevention is one of the key pillars of our plan to take action on gun violence, along with banning and buying back assault-style firearms and cracking down on illegal guns coming across our borders.”

— The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety 

“The Trevor Williams Kids Foundation serves hundreds of youth every year through summer camps, after-school programs and basketball activities. Trevor Williams has mentored youth who have gone on to serve our community as mentors and leaders.  Leadership by example defines Trevor and his team's approach to guiding youth through challenges in both the classroom and on the basketball court. The funding announced today through the Crime Prevention Action Fund will allow the Trevor Williams Kids Foundation to offer new tools and expanded support to protect youth from gang recruitment and criminal activity. For the past thirty years, Trevor Williams has invested in vulnerable youth to help them succeed at school, in sport and in life.”

— The Honourable Marc Garneau, Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount

“The Trevor Williams Champions of Crime Prevention project represents the culmination of the Trevor Williams Kids Foundation’s long-term dedication of its original mandate of keeping kids off the streets and in school. The financial contribution and guidance from the Ministry of Public Safety provides the impulse and extended energy to significantly impact the lives of Montreal’s youth successfully transitioning through the many hurdles that today’s youth must face and overcome. The “Champions” directly mentor and provide engaging activities for local youths transitioning from family services, court-ordered community service sentencing, school disciplinary situations as well as drop-outs. The “Champions” also deliver the “Youth Survival Toolkit” sessions to empower youth to avoid becoming victims of criminal activity while discovering viable career paths.”

— Trevor Williams, President & Founder, Trevor Williams Kids Foundation

Quick facts

  • The National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS)’s Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) supports initiatives that address known risk and protective factors associated with crime and respond to priority crime issues.

  • The last CPAF Call for Applications closed in October 2021. The call received 266 applications.

  • In fiscal year 2022-23, approximately $12 million in funding will become available through the CPAF. 

  • The NCPS supports the implementation and evaluation of local, targeted crime prevention initiatives with the objective of developing and sharing knowledge of what works to prevent and reduce crime among priority populations.

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Contacts

Alexander Cohen
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety
Alexander.Cohen@ps-sp.gc.ca

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
psmediarelations@ps-sp.gc.ca

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