One-time Community Crime Prevention Grants Available

NOTE: A list of the 49, 2012 One-time Community Crime Prevention Investment Program recipients across the province is available at http://novascotia.ca/just/prevention/_docs/one_time_grant_recipients_2012.pdf.

The province is helping make families and communities safer by funding projects that will reduce crime in Nova Scotia.

Funding grants are available for community-based activities, projects and programs that address community needs.

"We need to prevent crime from happening in the first place," said Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Maurice Smith, on behalf of Justice Minister Ross Landry. "By investing at the community level, we are able to help provide practical ways to address the needs of a community and, in some cases, directly impact the root causes of crime."

The One-time Community Crime Prevention Investment Grant Program awards $40,000 annually. Nova Scotians are eligible to apply for grants of $1,000 to $5,000. Previous recipients include community organizations, schools and the private sector.

The Nova Scotia Police Youth Program was one of 49 recipients to get a grant in 2012, which was used to help fund a provincial youth police training weekend.

"The police training weekend was an excellent opportunity for police to mentor youth from across the province and teach them leadership and crime-prevention fundamentals," said Cst. Ken MacDonald, New Glasgow Police and training co-ordinator. "The success of the week was impacted by support from the Department of Justice and the crime prevention investment grant."

Government invests annually in initiatives that support crime prevention and community safety. Among these are the Lighthouses Program, which awards funding to community organizations that help keep youth from being involved in crime, the Additional Officer Program, which puts additional officers and resources in our communities, and the internationally recognized Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program.

Online applications for the One-time Community Crime Prevention Investment Grant Program will be accepted until Jan. 31. For more information and applications, visit www.gov.ns.ca/just.