Edmonton crime prevention projects get federal funding

Edmonton is getting $650,000 from the federal government to improve safety downtown.

Ottawa is providing $650,000 for evidence-based crime prevention initiatives in Edmonton.

The funding will support five pilot projects, including a community reintegration forum to support people re-entering the community, and a lab for safety-enhancing environmental design work, such as better lighting and sight lines.

“A good example is when we updated Commonwealth Stadium,” said Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack Monday morning during the funding announcement. “Commonwealth Stadium was completely transformed from that underground space to street-level design. The (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) CPTED principles were applied to that. We saw crime plummet at that station once we saw the redesign.

“So this money actually can have a real, meaningful impact though small, simple design changes.”

Knack said police data from November showed serious crime is still decreasing in Edmonton and currently ranks below the national and provincial averages.

“This funding allows us to build on that momentum, bringing these proven strategies to more areas of the city.”

More details about the projects will be shared in the future, officials said.

“I know we all understand this: Community safety needs more than one type of response. We know that enforcement matters, but so does prevention. It takes coordination and local leadership and local partnerships that bring together governments and community organizations, police and service providers all around a shared goal,” said Canada’s Emergency Management and Community Resilience Minister and Edmonton Centre MP Eleanor Olszewski.

The money is coming from the Crime Prevention Action Fund.