The federal government is spending big bucks to clamp down on gangs in Ontario.
Bill Blair, the federal minister of border security and organized crime reduction, says they are giving Ontario $11-million over the next two years.
The money will go to Ontario’s guns, gangs and violence reduction strategy.
“Gang related homicides in Canada's largest cities have nearly doubled since 2013,” said Blair.
The minister said the issue is not just about how criminals get illegal guns, but why.
“We also have to consider reducing the demand for those firearms among young people who would use those firearms to resolve conflicts and disputes,” said Blair. “So that involves going in and investing in communities, investing in kids, helping them make better choices and changing the circumstances under which that violence takes place.”
Blair didn't address how the money would be spent, and it’s not clear how much local law enforcement will get.
Tuesday’s funding announcement follows an $86-million dollar investment announced by the federal government in November, to help the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency combat gun and gang violence.
$51.5 million will go to enhance border security. The CBSA will receive that funding over a five-year period to help prevent firearms from coming into the country illegally.
Windsor police chief Al Frederick told CTV Windsor in November that he hopes the city will see some of that funding.
“Windsor being on the border with the busiest border crossing in North America, we by definition fit the description of a unique community," said Frederick.
Frederick said extra money would help the local force enhance its own "smart" crime fighting technologies, and restore the drugs and guns unit to full strength.
Windsor police investigated ten deaths in 2018 – nine homicides and one case of manslaughter – and three of them involved shootings.
