Government of Canada helps Winnipeg church protect itself against hate-motivated crimes

WINNIPEG, MB, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced a federal investment of $7,448 to Knox United Church in Winnipeg through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).

This investment enabled Knox United to install a CCTV and access control system.

Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested a total of $24.5 million in over 770 projects to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes protect and strengthen the security of their community centres, places of worship and other institutions.

"Knox United has been serving a diverse congregation of Winnipegers in the heart of downtown for over a century. Everyone who worships or accesses services there deserves to be able to do safely and without fear. The investment we are making today will help increase their sense of security, and enable Knox United to continue to be a vital community hub."

- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

"This project has provided a great enhancement to our security. Knox has never had coverage of its building exterior and the SIP project helped us attain this. Shortly after its installation, our new video system assisted the Winnipeg Police in making an arrest after an assault occurred at an evening youth concert at our church. The police used the footage recorded by our new cameras to identify the assailant."

- Tom Hanel, Treasurer, Knox United Church

• The 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.
• $15 million has been invested through the SIP in over 600 projects.
• 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% of total project costs, to a maximum of $100,000 per project.
• Interested organizations representing places of worship, provincially and territorially recognized private educational institutions, community centres and shelters serving victims of gender-based violence can learn more about the SIP through Public Safety Canada's website.
• In 2023-24, through the Expanded Security Infrastructure Program (ESIP), the Government of Canada invested an additional $9.5 million in 173 projects.
• Organizations who become a victim of a significant and direct hate-motivated crime against their facility may qualify for the Severe Hate-Motivated Incident Support (SHMIS) stream, a prioritized process to receive SIP funding that is accessible outside the regular annual Call for Applications period. Interested organizations can learn more about the SHMIS stream through Public Safety Canada's website.

• Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program
• Supporting communities at risk of hate-motivated crime through an expanded Security Infrastructure Program
• Additional $5 million announced to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada