Violence in Montreal: $30 million to support initiatives targeting young people

The City of Montreal will allocate an envelope of $30 million to fund community projects targeting young people in order to prevent violence.

Among these initiatives, the “By and for young people” program will receive $2 million. This first “special youth” fund will make it possible to support complementary projects proposed by young people, in collaboration with community organizations, such as awareness campaigns or social, sports and cultural activities.

With this program, an amount of $7 million will also be made available to allow young people to carry out projects that are important to them in their neighborhood.

“To ensure security in Montreal and prevent violence, we must take strong action that improves the living conditions of young people at the source. […] It is essential to work upstream to give our young people every chance to succeed,” said the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, in a press release Thursday.

A minimum of $5 million will also be injected to finance infrastructure that meets the needs of young people, such as green alleys, sports facilities or pump tracks.

“These initiatives will allow the entire population of Montreal, and in particular young people, to create a safer, more united city, where opportunities are accessible in all neighborhoods,” added the mayor.