Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative
The Government of Canada is committed to the rights of Indigenous peoples.
As part of Public Safety Canada’s mission to build a safe and resilient Canada, the department and its portfolio organizations continue to support whole-of-government efforts to align legislation, programs, policies, and initiatives with:
- The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
- The implementation of Canada’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Public Safety Canada's Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) contributes to helping Indigenous peoples build safe and resilient communities.
Since 2010 the ACSPI has worked to:
- prevent incidents of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls;
- provide a means to enhance accessibility to restorative justice programming; and
- respond to the recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
This Initiative succeeds in engaging Indigenous communities to:
- define their safety and wellness concerns including violence and substance use; and
- find solutions to respond to the root causes and aggravating factors through the Community Safety Plan (CSP) process — a strategic, community-led plan that identifies the strengths, assets, and safety/wellness goals of a community.
To date, the Initiative has engaged with over 200 Indigenous communities across Canada — 139 of which have participated in the program. As a result, almost 60 Indigenous communities have completed and submitted plans.
Program Benefits
- Achieves a vision for long-term safety and wellbeing.
- Identifies the communities’ priorities, challenges, assets and strengths.
- Creates and fosters new partnerships.
- Provides examples to help other communities seeking solutions to issues.
- Strengthens community relationships and focus.
- Provides direction and opportunities to realize projects related to community safety.
Once the CSP is completed, the ACSPI can assist communities in identifying and obtaining resources for the purpose of developing and implementing safety initiatives specified in their CSP through Public Safety’s Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program (ACSDCP), and horizontal governance partnerships.
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