Ontario introduced an funding of CA$25.5 million ($18.65 million) to sort out rising hate-related crimes towards ethnic and spiritual minorities within the nation’s most populated province.
The “Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant” will assist faith-based and cultural organizations improve or implement measures to make sure neighborhood areas stay secure and safe, the federal government mentioned in an announcement.
“No Ontarian should live in fear that they will be targeted because of their background, who they love, or how they worship,” mentioned Michael Ford, minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
“Building on our other investments to combat hate, the new Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant will help build stronger, safer and more inclusive communities and ensure everyone has a safe environment to practice their faith and express their culture and beliefs,” he mentioned.
The grant will present as much as $10,000 to assist non secular teams, Indigenous communities and cultural communities defend and safe their services from hate-motivated incidents, graffiti, vandalism or different injury, the assertion mentioned.
The grant can be utilized for constructing upgrades, enhancing locks, putting in cameras, coaching workers, finishing safety assessments, introducing safer cybersecurity measures, hiring short-term skilled safety personnel and repairs. Mosques and cultural facilities within the nation have been on alert following a collection of assaults focusing on their communities.
Ontario has allotted $40 million by way of the “Ontario Grant to Support Anti-Hate Security Measures for Faith-Based and Cultural Organizations” since 2021.
In an announcement, the National Council of Canadian Muslims welcomed the federal government’s announcement, saying: “The $25.5 million increase in funding is a necessary step toward helping a large number of cultural and faith-based organizations across the province to beef up their facilities’ security against possibly hateful actors and crimes.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com