On Monday, Aug 26th at Peel police headquarters Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair shared details of the funding.
The funding will be going towards the Province’s guns, gangs, and violence reductions strategy.
The federal government has announced they will be pledging another $54 million to fight gun and gang violence in Ontario.
“This is significant new funding and will focus on prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution concerning gun and gang violence in communities,” said Blair.
He says Ontario will use the funding to stop and address criminal activity before it starts and to provide exit strategies to youth already involved in the gun activity.
Also, Blair said, “Nobody should have to live in fear, and we will also continue supporting local community groups to provide at-risk youth with opportunities to live meaningful lives while rejecting a life of crime.”
Main while the City of Brampton recognizes the importance of taking a regional approach when tackling gun and gang violence and is committed to ensuring Brampton is a Safe City. Council approved $300,000 in the City’s 2019 Budget for Community Safety Projects, including recent allocations to expand Neighborhood Watch Brampton across the City.
This support will help the Province continue its work on the GGVRS and continue to deliver province-wide initiatives focusing on the prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution of gun and gang violence in communities. The funding received from the federal government will specifically target initiatives that stop and address violent criminal activity before it starts and provides exit strategies for youth already involved in gang activity.
The City welcomes today’s, the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, the Honorable Bill Blair, announced $54 million over three years in funding starting in 2020 to support Ontario’s Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy (GGVRS). This funding is in addition to the $11 million over two years announced in March, bringing the total investment over the five-year initiative to $65 million.
The City anticipates working closely with Peel Regional Police to put forward public safety projects as the Province establishes a GTA/Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Gun and Gang Fund, focused on supporting community safety projects and partnerships in the GTA and Greater Golden Horseshoe. The City anticipates receiving further details on the application process and putting forward respective applications for this funding.
Canadians have the right to feel safe in their communities, and it is the responsibility of all governments to keep them safe. Gun and gang activity in Ontario has been a long-standing problem affecting the quality of life in neighborhoods and how people live their lives. The Government of Canada is taking action to combat gun and gang violence in communities by investing in the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence across Canada.
Mayor Patrick Brown “said Being a Safe City is a core priority of this Council’s Term of Council priorities and we have long advocated that the guns and gang’s problem is not exclusive to Toronto and Ottawa. We have been fighting for Brampton’s fair share of funding and appreciate that following meeting with Bill Blair and Sylvia Jones, Brampton will receive this important funding to fight guns and gangs in our City. We will continue to focus on providing the necessary resources to keep Brampton a safe city to live, work, and play.”
The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, said, “Ensuring the safety and security of Canadians is an issue our government takes seriously. We are making this substantial investment in Ontario to help fight gun and gang violence. All of us want our children growing up in communities that are safe and resilient. The Government of Canada is committed to working with all provinces and territories in supporting the work done by community partners and law enforcement who know how best to tackle gun and gang activity in their own communities. Today’s investment ensures that law enforcement and community organizations have the support and resources they need to continue this critical work.”
The Honourable Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, said, “Ontario is standing up for law-abiding citizens by expanding its fight against gun violence and the gangs who prey on young people and communities. Our government is committed to taking action where it is needed most to disrupt the drug, gun, and human trafficking that is fuelling gang operations across the Province and threatening the safety of families and neighborhoods.”
“The residents of Brampton have the right to feel safe in their community and it is the responsibility of all governments to keep them safe. We’re seeing more gun and gang violence on our streets than when I was a kid growing up in Brampton,” said MP Sahota. “Our government is committed to protecting Canadians by 1) making a crime harder to commit; 2) making it more likely that criminals will be caught; and 3) ensuring there are appropriate penalties in place so that we are holding offenders accountable for their blatant and reckless disregard of the law.”
Also, The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, joined by city, provincial and federal members such as Ruby Sahota, MP – Brampton North, Sonia Sidhu, MP – Brampton South, Kamal Khera, Member of Parliament (Brampton West) Omar Alghabra Mississauga Center, Iqra Khalid Mississauga Erin Mills, Nina Tangri Mississauga—Streetsville Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria Brampton South and Regional Councillor Paul Vicente Wards 1 and 5.
The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General of Ontario, said “Criminals don’t respect geographic boundaries. That’s why our government is working with partners to fight illegal guns and gang’s province-wide and ensure that criminals who commit offenses end up where they belong – behind bars.”
