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The Metropolis of Airdrie is getting a $1-million increase from the federal authorities to help efforts to stop gun crime and gang violence.
Calgary-Skyview MP George Chahal made the funding announcement at Airdrie Metropolis Corridor on Monday, alongside Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown.
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The Liberal MP known as the funding, which comes from Public Security Canada’s Constructing Safer Communities Fund, a “focused method” to stop youth violence in Airdrie.
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“This funding will assist handle the foundation causes of crime by supporting community-led tasks for younger folks concerned in gangs, or prone to becoming a member of them, serving to them set themselves up for achievement in life,” Chahal mentioned.
Brown mentioned Airdrie continues to be Alberta’s quickest rising metropolis. With a inhabitants of greater than 80,000 in accordance with its newest municipal census, Airdrie is Alberta’s fifth most populous municipality.
And contemplating one-third of Airdrie’s inhabitants is underneath the age of 20, Brown mentioned the town can also be one in every of Alberta’s youngest communities.
“Airdrie is a protected group and we’re grateful for the households which have chosen to name Airdrie residence,” the mayor mentioned, noting the town has one of many lowest crime severity indexes in Alberta.
“Our purpose is to proceed to maintain gun and gang violence out of Airdrie via early intervention in opposition to bullying, rising the abilities and help that youth want.”
Whereas there have been no specifics on which group teams will profit from the $1 million, Brown mentioned the town is partnering with each the native RCMP detachment and the Rocky View Colleges Division to assist administer or perform any programming that outcomes from the funding.
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“We’re lucky we now have comparatively zero gun and gang violence right here in the neighborhood,” Brown mentioned. “Nevertheless, we wish to maintain it that method.”
Airdrie RCMP spokesman Cpl. James McConnell mentioned the detachment seems to be ahead to working with the town and its group companions.
“The specifics are nonetheless, to my data, being sorted out, nevertheless it’s at all times nice to obtain some funding to help these kinds of initiatives,” McConnell mentioned.
Whereas he agreed with Brown that shootings and calls associated to organized crime are decrease in Airdrie than different cities, McConnell emphasised the funding introduced Monday is meant to be preventive, relatively than reactive.
“I feel the policing group, by and huge, is doing job of holding Airdrie protected,” he mentioned. “We’re not seeing the identical points as we’re in some cities. Quite, that is simply to make sure we’re up to the mark and sustaining Airdrie’s security.”
Airdrie’s funding allotment from the Constructing Safer Communities Fund comes six months after Calgary acquired $7.7 million and the Tsuu T’ina Nation acquired $1.1 million from the identical federal program.
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