RICHMOND: The City of Richmond is set to receive up to $2.68 million to prevent gun crime and gang violence in the city.
The announcement was made by Wilson Miao, Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre, and Parm Bains, Member of Parliament for Steveston–Richmond East, on behalf of the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety.
The government of Canada launched the $250 million Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) to get guns off streets and puts more resources into our communities.
First announced in March 2022, the BSCF supports local initiatives that prevent gun and gang violence and help young people make good choices. Richmond will receive funding as part of BSCF. “No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun crime on its own. That is why the BSCF is one of many elements in the government’s plan to keep Canadians safe. Our work begins at Canada’s borders, where we’ve added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into the country,” said Miao.
This funding will help address the underlying conditions that give rise to crime. It will support community-led projects to prevent violence among young people who are involved in gangs, or at risk of joining them – helping them set themselves up for success in life. “This funding from the Building Safer Communities Fund will help support at-risk youth to make healthier choices and better set themselves up for success in life. I look forward to seeing the difference it will make for young people across Richmond,” said Bains.
The Government banned assault-style firearms like the AR-15 two years ago and will soon begin a buyback program to get these guns out of our communities.
Last October, a national freeze on handguns was implemented through amendments to regulations under the Firearms Act. Finally, we recently introduced Bill C-21 – Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation. This landmark legislation proposes significant provisions to combat organized crime and address the alarming role of guns in domestic violence
