Ontario – The Ontario government is fighting back against crime and building safer communities by investing more than $6 million over three years in crime prevention initiatives. The funding is being delivered through the Proceeds of Crime Front-Line Policing Grant program and will be used to support the following 23 projects by law enforcement agencies and community partners:
Barrie Police Service: $300,000
Building Bridges Through Common Ground
Barrie Police Service is strengthening school safety and youth supports through its partnership with the Simcoe/Muskoka Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Common Ground Youth Group Program. The six-week program focuses on youth ages 12-18 who have witnessed, experienced or are at increased risk of experiencing gender-based violence. Funding will be used for a direct referral process, increased program space and academic research and data interpretation.
Brantford Police Service: $22,600
Project Erase Hate
Funding will support a one-day training course to provide a comprehensive overview on the history of antisemitism in a modern and historical context. This course is open to police officers, by-law officers, fire fighters, emergency medical staff and civilian members of Brantford Police Service. The course will be offered in partnership with the Simon Wisenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies.
Cornwall Police Service: $301,615
Knowledge First: A project aimed to disrupt and suppress organized crime and hate motivated incidents
Cornwall Police Service will use funds to increase officer skills and expertise related to organized crime. This will include acquiring the necessary equipment to support enhanced training in surveillance and investigations related to human trafficking, opioid/drug and firearms offences and gang-related activity. The service will also launch public education campaigns to increase awareness about hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents and the ability to report such situations online.
Greater Sudbury Police Service: $300,000
Mino Kina Akinomaadiwin (All the Best Teachings)
Mino Kina Akinomaadiwin (All the Best Teachings) will build on the existing Mooz Akinoonmaaget Maa Aki (Moose Hunt) program, an Indigenous-focused program where at-risk youth work to help foster positive relationships between Indigenous youth and Greater Sudbury Police Service officers. Funding will be used to deliver components of the program by Elders, mentors, and Greater Sudbury Police officers, with a goal to support youth, allow them to take control of their environment and forge their own pathways to wellness.
London Police Service: $300,000
Project B.U.I.L.D.S. – Bringing Unity in London’s Diverse Society
Project B.U.I.L.D.S. aims to create lasting connections and positive opportunities for youth and residents of London with the London Police Service (LPS). The goal of this project is to create mutual understanding, respect, and trust. Working with its Community Services Unit members, LPS will host workshops, training conferences, programs and community events and invite community partners and experts in the field to participate.
North Bay Police Service: $300,000
The North Bay Police Service Youth Engagement Project
Funding will be used to organize a free one-day conference and educational opportunity to encourage meaningful dialogue between students and police. It will feature workshops, speakers with lived experiences and presentations by community partners. Topics will include human trafficking, sexting, sextortion, cyberbullying, mental health, addiction, alcohol and drugs. Community partners include Victim Services of Nipissing District and the Canadian Mental Health Association North Bay.
OPP Central Huron: $256,500
Huron Safe Schools and Proceeds of Crime Initiative
The Huron Safe Schools and Proceeds of Crime Initiative aims to enhance school safety and combat organized crime. With a multifaceted approach this program includes comprehensive training programs for teachers, students and parents that focus on drug awareness, mental health and violence threat risk assessment. The project also aims to build on the existing strong relationship between law enforcement and schools which has resulted in a reduction of incidents.
OPP Goderich: $256,500
Goderich Safe Schools and Proceeds of Crime Initiative
Funding will help increase officer training and allow for an additional police officer presence in schools. It will also provide training to community organizations and school staff regarding mental health, drug awareness and violence threat risk assessment. Funds will also be used to install external cameras and digital speed signs in and around schools for enhanced school area monitoring and enhanced community safety.
OPP Lanark County (Perth): $300,000
Creating Safer Spaces Lanark
Creating Safer Spaces Lanark will focus on increasing understanding within the community of the need to create safe and inclusive spaces for everyone. Funding will allow Lanark OPP to provide more outreach to students and the community in partnership with two school boards and the Lanark Detachment Community Liaison Committee. Police training will also be provided on hate crimes and equity, diversity and inclusion activities with a focus on hearing the voices of young people and under-represented populations.
OPP North Grenville: $600,000
Enhanced Fraud Support Team
Funding will enable the Fraud Team to acquire training and specialized software. The Fraud Team is a partnership of representatives from the Grenville, Leeds and Upper Ottawa Valley OPP detachments, the Municipality of North Grenville, schools, seniors’ organizations and the Financial Transactions and Reports and Analysis Centre of Canada. The Fraud Team will be able to support interactions with people experiencing hearing and mobility impairment, and work remotely to allow members of the community to more easily engage with law enforcement outside of police detachments.
Owen Sound Police Service : $300,000
Raising Cultural Awareness and Eliminating Hate in Owen Sound
Owen Sound Police Service, alongside community partners will use funding for training and information sessions, a public information campaign and community events to raise awareness and appreciation of the community’s diversity, help eliminate hate and improve online safety. Owen Sound Police Service officers will receive up-to-date training on hate-motivated incidents, inclusion, and develop resources to help youth, families and community members prevent cyber-bullying, online exploitation and hateful speech.
Peel Regional Police: $300,000
Addressing Hate through Collaboration and Partnerships
Funding will be used to hire an education, training and outreach coordinator to expand on the work of the Countering Hate Committee which is developing a community-based approach to countering hate and violent extremism. The coordinator will support the committee to achieve three objectives: enhance knowledge mobilization, enhance reporting and enhance community and victim support.
Peterborough Police Service: $167,000
Anti-Hate Initiative
Funding will be used to help the Peterborough Police Service, municipal and community leadership develop a deeper understanding of hate crimes and hate bias to create informed and efficient responses and strategies. The project includes an awareness campaign designed to provide the community with knowledge about the differences between hate bias and hate crime. It will also streamline reporting protocols, the role of law enforcement and the collective accountability inherent in countering these issues. A comprehensive hate incident database will also be established.
Port Hope Police Service: $175,000
Internet Safety – Knowledge is Power
Port Hope Police Service working with community partners, will use funds to educate students, teachers and parents about internet safety. Topics will include cyberbullying, human trafficking, sexting, pornography and other relevant topics to provide participants with awareness, education and resources to help keep youth safe online.
Six Nations Police Service: $300,000
Building relationships and breaking barriers with the youth of Six Nations of the Grand River
Six Nations Police Service will use funding to build relationships and break down barriers with the youth of Six Nations of the Grand River. In addition to co-leading initiatives to enhance school safety the police service will partner with the Six Nations Health Services – Health Promotion Office whose child and youth worker is a recognized community mentor with the Right to Play program. The Right to Play program empowers children to rise above challenges and find their way back to hope.
Smith Falls Police Service: $85,500
Engaging our Community Youth in Crime Prevention: A Smiths Falls Police Service Collaborative Initiative
South Simcoe Police Service: $223,611
In Our Sights: Taking Aim at Organized Crime – A South Simcoe Policing Initiative
Thunder Bay Police Service: $270,000
Project House Cleaning
Project House Cleaning aims to stop gang recruitment efforts and disrupt the violence and sale of illegal drugs by organized crime groups in the City of Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay Police Service will expand its partnership with the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board to increase anti-gang outreach efforts, focus on enforcement, victim support and youth engagement/education.
Toronto Police Service: $300,000
School Safety Symposium – Community Connects
Toronto Police Service in partnership with Victim Services Toronto and the Toronto District School Board, will use funds to develop and deliver an annual School Safety Symposium for Grade 7, 8 and 9 students. The symposium will cover prevention strategies to reduce involvement in or the impact of gang and street violence. In addition, it will also increase awareness about exploitations including human trafficking, intimate partner violence, unhealthy relationships, online dangers such as sexting and bullying, hate incidents and crimes affecting school-age youth.
Treaty Three Police Service: $300,000
Maandoonan Ozhibii’igan (Gathering Information)
Maandoonan Ozhibii’igan is a dedicated three-year project focused on enforcement and intelligence gathering related to organized crime in high-risk communities within the Treaty Three Nation. The project includes specialized training for frontline officers on organized crime, community education and engagement. It will also seek to strengthen collaborations between police and non-police partners to create awareness and empower community members to assist in keeping their community safe.
United Chiefs and Council of Manitoulin Anishnaabe Police Service: $300,000
Looking to the Future
Waterloo Regional Police Service: $300,000
Improving Hate Reporting and Improving School Safety in Waterloo Region
Waterloo Regional Police will create a Waterloo Region Mobile Hate Report App that will gather data and boost resident accessibility. The app will provide real time reporting, offer two-way communication and allow users to report hate related incidents and access resources. Funding will also be used to allow Waterloo Regional Police Service to partner with the YMCA on an established dropout prevention program that offers support to students having trouble at school.
York Regional Police: $300,000
Project United
York Regional Police will use funds to provide specialized training for law enforcement officers, community outreach programs, conferences, forums and educational resources within schools on the topic of hate crime. By focusing on both preventative measures and proactive strategies, Project United aims to build trust, promote understanding and create a united front against hate crimes, ensuring that the community remains a place where diversity is respected and embraced.