Government of Canada invests $4.9 million for at-risk youth in l'agglomération de Longueuil

LONGUEUIL, QC, May 24, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That's why the Government of Canada has a comprehensive plan that gets guns off our streets and resources into our neighbourhoods. A central part of this involves adding resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place.

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 Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF).

To help more young people set themselves up for success in life, the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, today announced new support for at-risk youth in l'agglomération de Longueuil with $4.9 million over five years in federal funding. Minister Mendicino was joined by the Mayor of Longueuil, Catherine Fournier, at today's announcement.

Le Service de police de l'agglomération de Longueuil and its partners will put into place the "Groupe CONTACT" initiative. This initiative will include several programs and services to support 300 at-risk youth, aged 12 to 17, and their families, in an effort to avoid or leave criminal lifestyles, prevent gangs from establishing themselves, and reduce the number of youth involved in criminal behaviour and intimidation. Services will include various workshops and activities relevant to the needs of the youth and family, including gang risk awareness, counselling, employment training or support, personal life management, in addition to services related to music, sports and recreation.

No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun crime on its own. That is why the CPAF is one of many elements in the government's plan to keep Canadians safe. It operates as part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy, which 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.

Our work begins at Canada's borders, where we've added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into the country. The Government banned assault-style firearms like the AR-15 two years ago and is developing a buyback program to get these guns out of our communities. Last October, a national freeze on handguns was implemented through amendments to regulations under the Firearms Act. Finally, Bill C-21—Canada's most significant action on gun violence in a generation—has just passed the House of Commons. This landmark legislation proposes significant provisions to combat organized crime and address the alarming role of guns in domestic violence.   

Quote(s)

"The best way to prevent crime is to stop it before it starts. The project announced today will do just that by empowering young people to make the right choices and set themselves up for success in life. Education and prevention are key pillars in our plan for crime prevention and keeping our communities safe."

- The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety

"For many years, the Service de police de l'agglomération de Longueuil has been promoting a new crime prevention–based philosophy through the implementation of the RÉSO program. The new Groupe CONTACT program, specifically aimed at youth, will allow these efforts to continue by taking an innovative prevention approach—the strength our police service is known for."

- Catherine Fournier, Mayor of Longueuil and Chair of the Longueuil Agglomeration Executive Committee

"The Groupe CONTACT program aligns perfectly with the SPAL's innovative 'community policing' philosophy. We must take action beyond the legal aspect of the offence. We want to work with youth and their families in actively understanding what brought them into the world of delinquency, in order to help them avoid relapsing and falling into the tragic, dangerous spiral of crime."

- Patrick Bélanger, Director of the Service de police de l'agglomération de Longueuil 

Quick Facts

• The CPAF supports initiatives that address known risk and protective factors associated with crime and respond to priority crime issues.
• $35.2 million over five years is available in CPAF funding beginning in fiscal year 2022–2023.
• Last year, through the Building Safer Communities Fund, the City of Longueuil received over $2 million as part of a larger investment of $41.8 million dollars for the Province of Quebec.

Associated Links

• Crime Prevention Action Fund
• National Crime Prevention Strategy
• Government takes action to prevent gun violence with $250 million Building Safer Communities Fund - Canada.ca
• Government announces $390 million to help stop crime and violence - Canada.ca
• The 2023 Canada–U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF) - Canada.ca

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Audrey Champoux, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]