$4 million to Alberta organizations to address radicalization to violence

EDMONTON, Jan. 19, 2018 /CNW/ - Today the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced nearly $4 million from the Community Resilience Fund to two organizations working to address radicalization to violence in Alberta.

The Edmonton Police Service received $2,266,807 over five years for The Resiliency Project. In collaboration with the City of Edmonton and the Organization for the Prevention of Violence, this initiative seeks to discourage individuals from radicalizing to violence by addressing the potential sources of violent extremism available online and offline.

The Organization for the Prevention of Violence received $1,293,763 over three years for its project Countering Violent Extremism in Alberta. The project will assess and map potential sources of violent extremism throughout Alberta and will help establish partnerships required to address radicalization to violence in the province.

Tragic events across the country have underlined that there is no single ideology or cause of radicalization to violence and that prevention is an essential component of an effective strategy to keep our communities safe. These organizations take an innovative and collaborative approach to prevention and intervention, with multiple sectors working together to develop effective solutions that reflect local realities.

Quotes

"Canadians will not be intimidated by a violent act of hate, nor will we allow our diverse and inclusive communities to be divided. Through collaboration between law enforcement, communities and frontline workers, we will implement solutions to provide services to those at-risk in our community so we can help prevent tragedies before they happen."

- The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"The Resiliency Project will allow the community to play a role in preventing people from being influenced by ideologically motivated violence. We are grateful for this federal funding, which will allow us to see this project come to fruition."

- Chief Rod Knecht, Edmonton Police Service

"Hate-motivated violence cannot be associated with any one cultural, ethnic or religious community – it is a societal problem. No one organization or agency has the solution to this problem, since it is complex and requires collaborative solutions. Only through the collective efforts of community, law enforcement, human service professionals and academics can we seek effective prevention. We are thankful for the funding from the Government of Canada and its support for innovative and local solutions."

- John McCoy, Executive Director, Organization for the Prevention of Violence

Quick Facts

• The Resiliency Project will develop community engagement strategies and counter narratives, provide support to at-risk individuals, and increase the capacity of force and community stakeholders to address these issues through training and awareness campaigns.
• The Organization for the Prevention of Violence will bring together subject matter experts, frontline practitioners and community activists to assess potential sources of violent extremism in Alberta, and establish relationships to counter radicalization to violence in the province. Activities will include workshops and focus groups, and designing educational materials and intervention procedures. Findings will be provided to practitioners, community members and other stakeholders.
• Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence continues to deliver on Public Safety Canada's commitment to prevent radicalization to violence in Canada.
• The Community Resilience Fund has $2.4 million in funds for existing and new projects in 2017-2018 and $4.4 million in 2018-19. For 2019-20 and beyond, the CRF will have $7 million available each year for existing and new projects.

Associated Links

• Community Resilience Fund

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

For further information: Scott Bardsley, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, 613-998-5681, [e-mail]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [e-mail]

Related Links

www.publicsafety.gc.ca