THUNDER BAY — City police are waiting to hear if Thunder Bay will receive any money from a federal government initiative that targets gang violence and the incidence of crime involving firearms.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino announced the $390-million, five-year commitment on Monday, and said Ontario will receive $121 million.
It's a renewal of a federal crime prevention program announced in 2017 that provided $65 million to Ontario from 2018 to 2023.
Mendicino said the program will provide additional resources to law enforcement as well as support young people in making "good choices."
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said gang violence is increasing, and the province is working with its federal partners "to put criminals behind bars."
The Thunder Bay Police Service was excluded from the earlier program, prompting expressions of disappointment from Deputy Police Chief Ryan Hughes at the time.
"It's disappointing that the north is not recognized," he said. "There are issues here. We see it, the OPP sees it, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service and Anishinabek Police Service sees the issues."
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu noted that it was the purview of the Ontario government to decide where to allocate the federal dollars.
In an emailed response to an inquiry from TBnewswatch on Monday, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General said more information on the grants, including the applications process, eligibility criteria and funding amounts, will be provided to police services in the near future.
Last week's brazen daytime shooting at a south-side Thunder Bay apartment complex renewed calls from local leaders for government support for dealing with the city's growing problem with guns and gangs.
"You couldn't have more evidence of guns and gangs in peaceful neighbourhoods, and the need for more funding," Mayor Ken Boshcoff said. "I think it will give us the backup to ensure our case is heard and addressed, and I'm sure it will be."
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland said he had had numerous conversations already with Acting Police Chief Dan Taddeo about the issue, and looked forward to sitting down with incoming Chief Darcy Fleury.
In a brief statement Monday, Taddeo reiterated that "there is a critical need for tangible investments to ensure this police service has the necessary resources to address this city's extraordinary level of violent crime."
Thunder Bay had the highest violent crime severity index among 35 major population centres in Canada in 2021.
Taddeo commented that police are also seeing a continuing trend toward Thunder Bay becoming a destination for drug traffickers.
In 2022, TBPS arrested 150 out-of-district suspects linked to drug trafficking that included guns.
"If the allotment of this funding is based on crime rates, then we would expect considerable investments heading toward Thunder Bay," Taddeo stated.
