THUNDER BAY - Money seized from crimes in Ontario is being invested into several victim support and crime prevention programs across the province, including two First Nation police services in the northwest.
The provincial government announced on Tuesday that $1.5 million in case and proceeds seized from criminal activities will be made available to police services and other community organizations through the Civil Remedies Grant Program.
The money will be used for projects helping to support victims of crime, as well as crime prevention programs related to domestic violence, family, and gun and gang violence.
“Our government is committed to strengthening every available tool, including civil forfeiture, to help police, prosecutors and local partners confront and dismantle the criminal networks that prey on our communities,” said Attorney General Doug Downey in a statement.
“Crime should never pay, and these seized funds will help communities support victims of crime and fight back to break the cycle of offending.”
There are 18 projects across the province that will benefit from the funding, including two in Northwestern Ontario.
Anishnawbe Aski Police Services is receiving $99,946 to develop a mobile surveillance package to provide tools needed to disrupt criminal activities associated with drug trafficking in remote and rural First Nation communities.
The Treaty Three Police Service is receiving $100,000 for its Youth Cadet Program, which sees cadets between the ages of 14 and 16-years-old participate in a three-week program to learn life skills and enhance their abilities to make positive decisions leading to a productive, crime-free lifestyle, while strengthening their relationship and trust with police.
The Smarter and Stronger Justice Act allows for property used for illegal activities to be forfeited without a court order if there are no interested persons disputing the forfeiture.
