Home Newsroom 2006 News releases 2006-07-19: Minister Day announces funding for youth crime prevention projects in Calgary

Minister Day announces funding for youth crime prevention projects in Calgary

Calgary, July 19, 2006  -- The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, today announced $268,418 in funding to support three crime prevention initiatives in Calgary through the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC).

With this funding, the Calgary Police Service, Wood’s Homes and the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society will be enabled to prevent crime and to help young Albertans build safer communities.

“Canada’s new government is taking concrete action to prevent crime from taking place in Calgary’s streets and communities,” said the Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. "These projects strive to help our youth make good choices and decrease the chances that they end up committing crimes or joining gangs,” he added.

"Our funding partnership with the federal government will help local initiatives such as these in Calgary prevent crime - something all Albertans support," said Alberta Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Harvey Cenaiko.  "As a government, we want Alberta 's communities to be as safe as possible and local involvement in crime prevention initiatives is critical to achieving that,” he added.

The Don’t Buy In Project, which is administered by the Calgary Police Service, is receiving almost $100,000. This project will help decrease the incidence of hate crime in the community by educating youth on diversity, victimization and the consequences of hate crime.

Wood’s Homes is today receiving $69,000 from the Government of Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy to provide support, counselling and treatment for young people and their families in Calgary and the surrounding area. By helping youth develop coping skills, the Wood’s Homes program will help our youth grow into successful, law-abiding adults.

The Multi-Cultural Youth Street Smart Program, developed through the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society, is receiving $99,000. It will help immigrant and refugee youth integrate into the Calgary community by reducing their isolation, offering academic support and increasing their opportunities for employment and community involvement. By involving these youth in their community and offering them support services, the government will be helping to keep them out of street gangs.

As part of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC), the NCPC works to increase community action to prevent crime, develop and share knowledge of effective crime prevention strategies and coordinate multi-level support for crime prevention. The Government’s NCPC helps communities develop local solutions to local problems.

For further information:

Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
613-991-0657

Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2863

Dina Juras
Regional Director
National Crime Prevention Centre
204-984-5925

Christine Skjerven
Assistant Director of Communications
Alberta Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security
780-427-0900