Public Safety and Solicitor General
Community organizations working to safeguard vulnerable young people from gang involvement and protect victims of domestic, sexual and other forms of violence will benefit from nearly $7.2 million in government grants supporting public safety priorities.
This represents the largest-ever one-time grants investment in community crime prevention in B.C., combining $5.5 million in provincial Civil Forfeiture Office (CFO) proceeds and $1.69 million from criminal forfeiture proceeds.
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris made the announcement today at Richmond's Touchstone Family Association, which is receiving a $100,000 grant for its
successful youth-focused Street Smarts program offering support for kids at risk of gang involvement.
In all, more than 250 projects and programs throughout the province will receive a one-time grant. Nearly $2 million is dedicated to gang and youth crime prevention, and over $3.5 million will go to community services that address violence against women and girls. The remainder will support training and education for frontline victims service workers, police training and special equipment, and restorative justice.
This year, a new stream of civil forfeiture grants is dedicated to programs focused on sexual assault, including responses to sexual assault on post-secondary campuses. This builds on A Vision for a Violence Free BC, the Province’s long-term plan to end all forms of violence against women.
This year’s grant recipients include:
- OnyxWorks, Vancouver ($23,800)
To help PLEA Community Services Society of BC assist young women aged 13 to18 who want to leave sexually exploitative situations and gain work experience. - Selkirk College Strengthening Our Response to Sexual Assault, Castlegar ($44,500)
To help Selkirk College develop a program to address sexual assault on campus. - Preventing Youth Crime Through Belonging and Connection, Duncan ($19,800)
Cowichan Women Against Violence Society plans to engage at-risk youth with community groups, leaders and organizations to collaborate on the design and development of youth spaces within parks in the Cowichan Valley. - Peer Support, Outreach Training, Masset ($20,000)
To support Old Masset Village Council provide cultural activities, leadership skill development and mentorship programs to children aged nine to 12 through the Nights Alive Crime Prevention Outreach Program.
The CFO continues to undermine the profit motive behind criminal activity by taking away the tools and proceeds of crime and putting them back into programs that support community crime prevention and safety. Since the CFO was established in 2006, forfeitures have totalled more than $63 million and the office has returned $27 million to crime prevention and community safety programs, including $1.5 million in victims’ compensation.
Quotes:
Mike Morris, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General –
“Our government believes that crime should not pay. After 10 years, civil forfeiture continues to be an invaluable tool to law enforcement in suppressing gangs and criminal activity, allowing government to take away the proceeds of crime and put that money back into ensuring safe communities. All of this year’s grant recipients are doing meaningful work by keeping our kids out of gangs, addressing violence against women and girls, supporting restorative justice and healing for Aboriginal communities, and making our province safer and more supportive for us all.”
Judy Valsonis, executive director of Touchstone Family Association –
“Touchstone strengthens the social health and independence of families and children through effective intervention and support services. These services are only available through the generosity of funding bodies like the civil forfeiture grants. This grant will allow us to expand our Street Smarts program that helps youth stay engaged with family and school and veer away from the lure of gangs and crime.”
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit –
“The support from B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office for the CFSEU-BC and its End Gang Life gang prevention and education initiative has allowed us to reach thousands of youth and families across the province. This engagement is critical in our collective efforts to demystify gangs and the gang lifestyle and we have seen several cases already where our presence in schools has resulted in empowering youth to stand up to the lure of gangs.”
Victoria Alvarez, former Street Smarts participant –
“I think kids are much less likely to get into gangs if they truly feel heard. The Street Smarts group made sure everyone had a voice and that we could better ourselves – StreetSmarts helped me to find my voice and I am a better person because of it.”
Oksana Kendzerska, mother of current Street Smarts participant –
“I felt like I was driving on the highway without brakes going through all the struggles with my son. And then Street Smarts came into our lives, and helped me find my brakes.”
Quick Facts:
- Through these grants, the Civil Forfeiture Office is providing nearly $2 million of the $5 million for targeting gangs, the roots of crime, and the safety of First Nations communities that was promised at September’s UBCM meeting.
- The Civil Forfeiture Office (CFO) was established in 2006 and since then has returned $27 million from successful forfeiture actions to crime prevention programs and to victims of fraud.
- More than 250 projects and programs will receive a one-time grant to support public safety priorities, including projects that address violence against women, youth crime prevention and restorative justice.
- Highlights from today’s grant announcement include:
- 32 grants worth more than $1.1 million to address sexual assault, including sexual assault on post-secondary campuses.
- 26 grants to support training and education for frontline victim service and violence against women service providers, with a total value of over $800,000.
- 23 grants to support healing and rebuilding from violence against Aboriginal women for a total of $448,000.
- 12 grants worth $400,000 for restorative justice programs and services.
- 57 grants valued at nearly $1.9 million for gang and youth crime prevention projects.
Learn More:
To view the entire list of 2015-2016 grant recipients: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/crime-prevention/community-crime-prevention/grants
To read more about the Touchstone Family Association's programs and initiatives: http://www.touchstonefamily.ca/
A Vision for a Violence Free BC: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/if-you-are-a-victim-of-a-crime
