Question Period Note: Canada is taking action to combat youth violence

o On September 16, 2025, media reported that a 12-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man had been charged in a series of violent, unprovoked attacks targeting vulnerable members of the city, including one that left a 62-year-old man dead. These attacks occurred in downtown Toronto on August 31, 2025. This arrest takes place after two other arrests of 12-year-olds for murder/gun violence, and other stories of youth involved in crime.

 The Government of Canada shares Canadians’ alarm regarding recent acts of armed violence committed by youth.

 It is a troubling reality that some young people are drawn into violence early in life. Our government is taking clear action to steer youth away from crime, by investing in the areas that will stop crime before it starts.

 Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Strategy is a targeted way that the federal government tackles youth violence. $47M annually supports youth-focused community interventions across Canada.

 Our Government has invested over $640M to support the work that provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities are doing to address gun and gang violence.

 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is also combatting youth violence, through the Centre for Youth Crime Prevention which provides police, parents and educators with valuable tools to work with youth on crime and victimization.

• And our government is responding to calls from Police, the Provinces and Territories and Canadians, that more tools are needed to get tough on crime, and has committed to introducing legislation this fall to strengthen our criminal justice system.

 Canadians can rest assured that our government will continue to work with partners to stop crime and ensure that all Canadians feel safe and secure in their communities.

National Crime Prevention Strategy
o Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), Public Safety Canada invests over $47 million annually in the implementation of community-based crime prevention efforts that target youth. Projects funded through the NCPS funding programs aim to reduce risk factors associated with crime and build protective factors among vulnerable children, youth, and young adults; prevent youth violence; and foster crime prevention in Northern and Indigenous communities.

o The focus of the NCPS is on influencing the behaviours that can increase the likelihood of criminality, effectively working to address all types of crime. Accordingly, the NCPS focuses on children, youth, and young adults between the ages of 6-30.

o Current priorities of the NCPS include: direct interventions that reduce the harmful factors that lead youth to get involved in violent criminal activity, such as gun violence and auto theft; direct interventions that prevent bullying and cyberbullying; and strengthening community readiness for Indigenous populations.

o The Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF); the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund (NICPF); and the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) under the NCPS all support crime prevention efforts targeted towards youth.

Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF)
o In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the federal government announced $250 million in funding for municipalities and Indigenous communities, to implement prevention and intervention programs to reduce gun and gang violence. Toronto was allocated $12.3 million. The strategic goal of the program is to prevent and reduce gun and gang violence using a collaborative, multi-pronged approach which focuses on prevention and intervention activities at the community-level.
Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV)
o In 2023, $390.6 million from 2023-28 was allocated to the ITAAGGV. The majority of funds are allocated to provinces and territories (P/T) under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (GGVAF) to combat gun and gang violence in communities across Canada.

o The objective of the GGVAF is to provide funding to six (6) key areas including intervention programming, training, action-oriented research, prosecution activities, improvement of data, and law enforcement efforts.

Youth Engagement
o Community Outreach and Engagement is a vital pillar of the work carried out by the RCMP National Youth Services (NYS). Through both in-person and virtual interactions, NYS fosters meaningful relationships with diverse communities, sharing knowledge and resources focused on youth crime prevention. These engagements not only help build trust but also empower communities with tools to support their youth and to respond to the unique needs of each community.

o The RCMP recognizes the value and impact of youth-led, community-based programs. The Youth Leadership Workshop is designed to empower young people by strengthening their leadership skills, fostering peer connections, and encouraging active participation in building safer, more inclusive communities. A central outcome of the workshop is the creation of a youth-led, police-supported community action plan. These plans allow participants to address local issues through diverse approaches, such as classroom presentations, cultural activities, and artistic expression.

o Another one of NYS’ key programs is the RCMP National Youth Advisory Committee, an initiative that brings together youth from across Canada to share their perspectives on policing, crime prevention, and community safety. Their insights directly inform RCMP programs and educational resources.

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