Public Safety Minister Toews announces support for crime prevention in Toronto

Program offers at-risk youth life skills to make smart choices

TORONTO, July 28, 2010 — Today, the Honourable Vic Toews, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, announced support for a program that will help keep at-risk youth in the Toronto area from becoming involved in lives of crime.

“This Government is working to preventing crime through both tougher laws and targeted programs that help at-risk youth avoid involvement in criminal activities,” said Minister Toews. “Today’s announcement will help build stronger, safer communities by offering youth the life skills they need to make smart choices.”

Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), the Government of Canada is delivering $298,584 over three years to the Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Toronto for its Circles of Success crime prevention project. This project will encourage at-risk youth to participate in employment training, conflict resolution training, and arts-based programming. This will help to promote positive behaviours, volunteerism, and connectedness to their community, all of which will help to create strong and healthy neighbourhoods that are resistant to crime. 

The NCPS is administered by Public Safety Canada. The Strategy provides funding support to selected projects that help prevent crime and increase knowledge about what works in crime prevention. The NCPS’s priorities are: 

• addressing early risk factors among vulnerable children, youth and young adults;
• preventing recidivism among high-risk offenders;
• fostering crime prevention in Aboriginal and Northern communities; and
• preventing youth gang and drug-related crime.

Information:

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657