(AGENPARL) – mar 12 aprile 2022 [Ontario Logo]
NEWS RELEASE
Ontario Increasing Supports to Improve Community Safety
Landmark investment helping police address issues such as local gang violence
April 11, 2022
MISSISSAUGA — The Ontario government is investing more than $267 million over three years to provide police services across the province with significant new resources to safeguard their local communities.
“Community safety is a top priority, and our government has been strengthening our justice system to protect communities and hold offenders accountable,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “This investment is another way we are helping police services address local challenges and improve the well-being of the people they serve. Whether to combat the opioid crisis, share intelligence, or prevent violent crime, this funding will make a difference in all corners of Ontario.”
The $267 million investment in the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program includes:
– Approximately $225 million through the local priorities stream to help police services address priority issues such as enhanced police intelligence sharing, expanding mental health supports, preventing crime in schools, combatting bullying, sexual violence, human trafficking, cyber-crime, enhancing road safety and acquiring new technology.
– $43 million to address provincewide priorities such as training for police officers so they are better equipped to handle sexual violence and harassment investigations, identify signs of human trafficking and interact with victims of human trafficking: crime prevention initiatives for at-risk youth and other vulnerable groups and equipment purchases that support policing operations and activities such as enhanced software/technology.
Peel Regional Police Service is receiving grant funding for Project Care and the expansion of the service’s Intimate Partner Violence Unit; Project Aegis and the creation of an analytics bureau to gather centralized data and ensure policing programs are achieving their desired outcomes; and the Traffic Enforcement Unit and Community Street Crime Unit within the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police.
“I want to thank the Government of Ontario and more precisely the Solicitor General for this significant community safety funding that will support the operationalization of Project Aegis and Project Care,” said Nishan Duraiappah, Chief of Peel Regional Police. “These projects will enhance our Community Safety and Well-Being strategy aimed at addressing the growing needs in our community including intimate partner violence supports and providing appropriate and alternative response to better serve priority populations.”
Quick Facts
– The maximum funding for any one initiative under the Provincial Priorities Funding Stream is $1.5 million over three years.
– Under the Local Priorities Funding Stream, each eligible police services board had a pre-determined allocation that they could apply for.
– Police services will be required to report twice a year on the financial activities and outcomes of their initiatives.
Additional Resources
Media Contacts
Hannah Jensen
Solicitor General’s Office
Brent Ross
Communications Branch