Close to $1.4M for youth crime prevention in Saint-Leonard

The federal government announced a new five-year investment to the Maison de jeunes de Saint-Leonard.

The announcement came Friday in Montreal with the feds saying it will go to supporting at-risk youth in Saint-Leonard.

“By providing the financial support to local organizations to engage with at-risk youth and provide them with the tools to succeed in life, we have a tremendous opportunity to prevent young people from entering a life of crime and to create safer and healthier communities,” said Patricia Lattanzio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Leonard—Saint-Michel, on behalf of the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety.

The investment of up to $1.39 million will go towards targetted services to help prevent a life of crime, according to Lattanzio. This will be done through workshops, sports, cultural activities, mental health supports, and more.

“Thanks to our funding, we’ve been able to imagine a neighborhood where young people choose to build rather than destroy. With our project, every activity becomes a concrete alternative to gang recruitment, the isolation of vulnerable young people and crime. Every action taken is another step towards a better future. Together, we are transforming risks into opportunities and giving the young people of Saint‑Léonard back the keys to their success,” said Hadhémi Kasraoui, Acting Executive Director of Maison de jeunes de Saint-Leonard.

This support from the federal government is part of the Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF), which looks to help communities address crime within vulnerable groups, including youth and children.