With the number of violent crimes in the Fraser Valley more than doubling within the past decade, improving community safety is more important than ever before, which will be easier now that several Abbotsford groups have received more than $180,000 to do exactly that.
This money is part of the province's Civil Forfeiture Grant program, which supports projects designed to address community safety issues.
Public Safety Minister Garry Begg explained that targeting crime and making residents feel safer is one of the top priorities of the provincial government.
"Whether it’s helping youth, preventing gender-based violence, or supporting Indigenous healing, these investments are empowering communities to implement community-based initiatives that enhance safety," Begg said.
Among the 166 grant recipients this year are five Abbotsford groups, with a total of $183,626 being given out to the following local community safety projects:
Catholic Justice Services Society, Circles of Support and Accountability BC ($40,000)
Up to 40 ex-convicts who served sentences for sexual offences are paired with 3 to 4 volunteers to determine what steps must be taken to help reduce the chance of the individual reoffending.
Mennonite Central Committee British Columbia, Home Improvement: Men in Relationship ($40,000)
Men with a history of partner abuse voluntarily undergo 15-week sessions of education, accountability, and support.
Mennonite Central Committee British Columbia, End Abuse Women's Support Groups ($40,000)
Three-phase guided support groups provide help to 115 Fraser Valley women who have suffered from intimate partner violence. Two similar support groups will also be launched at the Fraser Valley Institution for Women.
Archway Community Services Society, Self-Discovery Support Group for South Asian Women ($27,866)
Punjabi-speaking women facing intimate partner violence are provided with 12-week support groups.
Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association, Expanding RJ: Growing Needs in the Criminal Justice System ($35,760)
Restorative justice practices will be integrated into local law enforcement, courts, and youth probation and community corrections.
According to data from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, violent crimes have been on the rise for a long time in Abbotsford, with the 2,378 offences reported in 2023 marking a more than 60 per cent increase from 2014.
To combat this ongoing issue, Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, explained that the Civil Forfeiture Grant program uses proceeds from forfeited criminal assets and distributes them to public safety projects throughout the province.
"Civil Forfeiture Grants are making real change, helping to address gender-based violence and support survivors while actively building safer communities," Blatherwick said. "This is the work we remain committed to every day."
Since the grant program was first created back in 2006, it has been responsible for handing out more than $90 million to community groups throughout the province.
