Government of Canada helps Surrey community centre protect itself against hate-motivated crimes

SURREY, BC, Jan. 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, announced a federal investment of $30,056 to the Abu Bakr Society through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).

This investment enabled the Society to install a steel fence to enclose the property and gates at the entrance/exit to their Centre.

Since SIP's inception in 2007, the Government of Canada has invested over $14 million through the program to support over 600 projects for communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes. 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.

Last month, Public Safety Canada launched a call for applications for an expanded Security Infrastructure Program 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.

"There is no place for hate in Canada. All Canadians should feel safe? regardless of where they live, work, gather and pray. As a government, we are committed to ensuring that that is the case. Investments like the one we are making today are but one example of that ongoing commitment."

- Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

"With the rise of Islamophobia in Canada and around the world, we are grateful for the funding provided by the SIP. We were able to secure our premises with a beautiful fence and gate that will not only make our Islamic Centre more safe, but also adds to the aesthetics of our community. We believe that the SIP is a program that is an integral part of securing institutions that are vulnerable in Canada."

- Mobeen Imran Yakub, President, Abu Bakr Society

• The Security Infrastructure Program is designed to help communities at risk of hate-motivated crime improve their security infrastructure, which will help make Canada safer for all Canadians.
• Interested organizations representing places of worship, provincially and territorially recognized private educational institutions, community centres and shelters serving victims of gender-based violence can apply through Public Safety Canada's website.
• Organizations who become victim of a significant and direct hate-motivated crime against their facility may now qualify for the new Severe Hate-Motivated Incident Support (SHMIS), a prioritized process to receive SIP funding that is accessible outside the regular annual Call for Applications period.

• 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 Government of Canada