Fraser Valley to see $4.7M in anti-gun, gang violence funding

The federal government is investing up to $4.7 million in three Fraser Valley communities to support local programs that help prevent gun and gang violence.

In an announcement Thursday, Pam Damoff, the parliamentary secretary to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino, says the money is as part of its Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF).

“Funding will support initiatives that tackle the root causes of gun crime, supporting community-led projects to combat violence amongst young people who are involved in gangs or at risk of joining them,” she said.

Maple Ridge is set to receive $1.8 million, Abbotsford will get $1.96 million, and Mission is set to see $890,000.

“The new fund uses data and evidence including population and crime stats to determine where investments should be allocated. It’s a targeted approach that will ensure that communities most at risk will receive the support they need,” Damoff said.

“This funding that we’re announcing today does not need to be matched by the municipalities, which I know is something that they quite like, but also, it allows them to determine what projects are best for their communities. So what works in my community, is not going to be the same that works here in Maple Ridge, Mission, and here in the Fraser Valley.”


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In a news release from Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, it adds that “an important element of this work is stopping violence before it starts.”

However, it acknowledges that “no single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun crime on its own,” and the money is just one step in that direction.

“My number one priority as Minister of Public Safety is keeping Canadians safe. Investments in grassroots efforts in the Fraser Valley are essential to addressing the social conditions that lead youth and young adults to get involved in a life of crime. Put simply, we must stop gun and gang violence before it starts,” Mendicino said in the release.

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