November 09, 2005
Toronto, Ontario

BACKGROUNDER

The Government of Canada will provide an additional $1 million to the Youth Justice Renewal Fund, which supports multidisciplinary approaches to youth justice. The Fund’s Cities and Community Partnerships Component promotes greater citizen/community participation in the youth justice system, encourages partnerships among traditional and non-traditional youth justice partners, and encourages collaborative responses to a number of youth justice needs.

The Government of Canada has been working with the City of Toronto to support community safety and will fund two youth justice projects in the GTA, through the Youth Justice Renewal Fund.

YouthAction Project ($125,000)

The Community Safety Secretariat of the City of Toronto supports the work of the Mayor’s Panel on Community Safety and City Council. It works with residents and local agencies to develop and implement neighbourhood action plans in identified at-risk neighbourhoods. The community-based YouthAction project will actively engage young people who are in conflict with the law in community development projects. In addition to contributing to community safety, youth will learn skills related to conflict management, cross-cultural tolerance and positive identity.

Urban Black and Caribbean Youth Justice Capacity and Resources Project ($50,000)

The Canadian Centre on Minority Affairs (CCMA) will develop and promote a sustainable Black and Caribbean-Canadian Community participation model that will work within the youth justice system. The CCMA will carry out a public consultation with youth justice stakeholders aimed at gathering information for a strategic development plan that would contribute to the reduction and over-representation of Black and Caribbean Canadian youth in the justice system. The Centre will also host a community strategic planning workshop between youth justice service providers and Black and Caribbean Canadian service providers to discuss the strategic plan and work towards improved delivery of services for Black youth in conflict with the law.

These community-based youth justice projects complement other Government of Canada initiatives and partnerships aimed at preventing crime and ensuring community safety.

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