By Mike Cohen

The government of Canada is helping protect people against hate-motivated crimes through the Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP). By funding better security systems, the federal Government is helping to keep our communities safer.

Liberal Member of Parliament for Outremont Rachel Bendayan, on behalf of the Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparednes Ralph Goodale, announced up to a little more than $131,000 in federal funding to the Congregation Toldos Yaacov Yosef and the Congregation Kehal Toldos Yakov Yosef.

Since the launch of this program, the government has quadrupled its funding as part of its commitment to better protect organizations against hate-motivated crimes. As committed in Budget 2019, $4 million is available each year, until 2021-22 and $3 million in ongoing funding thereafter.

“There is no social license for hate in Canada,” said Bendayan. “Our country is diverse and inclusive, but we must not take our safety and security for granted. Protecting our communities from violence, including our community centres, educational institutions and places of worship, is the right thing to do. I am pleased to fight for funding that will help keep Outremont safer.”

Added Joseph Silberman, Secretary, on behalf of Congregation Toldos Yaacov Yosef and Congregation Kehal Toldos Yakov Yosef: “The security issues in general in community centers need to be addressed to the highest standards possibly available, so that the public shall feel safe, sound and secure and use these facilities in a relaxed atmosphere. We are confident and assured that with the funding that we will be receiving from the SIP program, Public Safety Canada, our community centers will be offering a safe and secure environment for the entire district, which will be to the benefit of the whole community at large.”

Here are some quick facts:

• In 2017, police reported an increase of 47 percent  in criminal incidents in Canada that were motivated by hate. Incidents targeting the Muslim, Jewish, and Black populations accounted for most of the national increase. Hate crimes targeting religious groups increased by 83 percent with incidents committed against the Muslim community increasing the most, by 151 percent.

• SIP is designed to help communities at risk of hate-motivated crime improve their security infrastructure, which will help make Canada safer for all Canadians.
• Funding is available to private, not-for-profit organizations linked to a community at risk of being victimized by hate-motivated crime. Approved projects may receive up to 50 per cent of total project costs, to a maximum of $100,000 per project. Eligible organizations that have multiple locations may now apply for projects at each of their sites, rather than being limited to one project per year.
• Interested organizations representing places of worship, provincially and territorially recognized educational institutions, and community centres can apply annually from December 1 to January 31 and from June 1 to July 31 through Public Safety Canada’s website.