EDMUNDSTON, NB, May 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche, on behalf of Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, announced $563,521 in funding to the Northwest Regional Service Commission (NWRSC) through the Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF).
The NWRSC will collaborate with local youth and community stakeholders to develop a project that will support young people aged 10 to 18 in the northwest region of New Brunswick. The project will focus on reducing substance use, strengthening youth mental health, and creating more meaningful opportunities for young people to encourage their active participation in their communities.
The initiative aims to empower youth to make positive choices by integrating school‑based prevention workshops, parent education sessions, youth‑led community projects, and inclusive after‑school programs. Continuous data collection will help to refine and strengthen the approach over time, ensuring the project remains effective and responsive to evolving community needs.
The CPAF supports evidence‑based projects that address known risk factors associated with crime among vulnerable people, focusing on youth aged six to 30 and high-risk offenders, to promote safer, more resilient communities for all Canadians.
Quotes
"Our youth deserve every chance to thrive, and this initiative ensures they have access to the tools, guidance, and positive connections that make a real difference. By investing in prevention and community‑driven solutions, we're helping young people build confidence, strengthen relationships, and make choices that set them up for long‑term success."
-Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche
"Funding from the Government of Canada, through Public Safety's Crime Prevention Branch, is a key lever for deploying a strong intersectoral approach focused on prevention. Above all, it allows us to actively engage youth in the process, to build safer, more inclusive and engaged environments with them."
- Bruno Volpé, Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Regional Service Commission
"Real change requires collective mobilization, and this is what we are implementing with Planète jeunesse. We bring together the forces of the community around the well-being of young people, by acting in prevention and by strengthening the living environments that surround them. Their commitment, voice and leadership are at the heart of our approach and the sustainable solutions we build together."
- Élaine Côté, Community Development Coordinator, Northwest Regional Service Commission
"In public health, we know that acting in prevention means intervening even before problems appear, by creating environments that support development and promote the overall health of young people. Prevention is above all about investing in the potential, success and future of young people."
- Martine Michaud, Public Health Nurse at Vitalité Health Network
Quick Facts
- The CPAF is one of four programs under the National Crime Prevention Strategy, which supports strategically selected projects that contribute to preventing and reducing crime in Canada and to increasing knowledge about what works in crime prevention.
- A Call for Applications for funding under the National Crime Prevention Strategy was held in 2024, and $123.5 million was made available over five years.
- This investment will support community-led crime prevention efforts tailored to at-risk and vulnerable youth and young adults, with a focus on Indigenous and racialized youth, youth involved in violence, and youth with repeat contacts with the criminal justice system.
- These investments make communities safer by supporting vulnerable people to choose a path that diverts from criminal behaviour.
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Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary AnandasangareeMinister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]
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