Parliamentary Committee Notes: Canada Community Security Program
Issue
Canada continues to see high rates of community tension, incidents of hate, hate crimes and violence, including due to allegations that link India to violent crime in Canada.
Proposed Response
- The Government of Canada takes any allegation of intimidation, harassment or harmful targeting of communities or individuals in Canada seriously, including those directed towards South Asian communities.
- The Canada Community Security Program (CCSP) is an important way that Public Safety Canada helps communities at risk of hate-motivated crime.
- Budget 2023 invested $49.5 million in this program. Budget 2024 invested an additional $32 million over six years, with $11 million annually in new, permanent funding. This money will be used to improve the program and to support communities that fear for their safety.
- The CCSP replaces and enhances the Security Infrastructure Program to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crime by investing in security measures that will help keep them safe. This can include security equipment, training, and personnel, among other eligible activities.
- The CCSP was designed to be more responsive to community needs, to address increasing demand for support from communities, and to provide more flexibility to organizations seeking financial support.
- Key enhancements to the program include the expansion of eligible recipients and activities, increases to the cost-sharing component, a reduction in application requirements, and the implementation of a continuous intake process for applications.
- Public Safety is also working closely with law enforcement, provinces and territories, to support the safety and security of all communities.
Background
Public Safety Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) is the policy framework for the implementation of crime prevention interventions in Canada. The NCPS provides funding to strategically selected local, targeted crime prevention initiatives and supports the development and sharing of knowledge to prevent and reduce crime among at-risk populations and vulnerable communities. One of the funding programs under the NCPS is the Canada Community Security Program, previously known as the Security Infrastructure Program.
The Security Infrastructure Program was originally established in 2007 to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crime through the enhancements of their security infrastructure. Since its creation in 2007, the SIP has provided more than $30M in funding to over 770 projects across Canada. To expand the SIP and allow it to better address the evolving security requirements of communities, Budget 2023 provided $49.5 million over five years. Budget 2024 provided a further $32 million over 6 years, and $11 million on-going, to a total of $16 million on-going, to support communities in addressing their security needs.
On September 24, 2024, Minister LeBlanc announced the new Canada Community Security Program (CCSP). The CCSP replaces and enhances the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) to support communities by providing financial assistance to private, non-profit organizations to enhance the security of community gathering spaces that serve communities at risk of being targeted by hate-motivated crime, including for their places of worship, educational institutions, community centres, shelters serving victims of gender-based violence, and privately run, not for profit, community-based facilities such as daycares, and office spaces. Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited security personnel.
The federal government has listened to organizations and partners and has designed the CCSP to be more responsive to community needs and provide more flexibility to organizations seeking financial support. In addition to expanding the eligibility for funding to include office and administrative spaces, cemeteries, and child care centers, the program now permanently offers funding for time-limited third-party licensed security personnel. As well, up to 70% of a project's eligible costs may be covered under the CCSP, an increase from 50% of the cost under the SIP. The maximum level – or stacking limit – of total government assistance has been removed, which opens up more opportunities for organizations to apply for other sources of funding. Application requirements have also been changed to reduce administrative barriers. Organizations can apply for funding at any time throughout the year through a continuous intake application process and may apply for funding and deliver projects on behalf of affiliated eligible recipients.
To confront hate in all its forms, the federal government introduced Canada’s first ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate on September 24, 2024. Budget 2024 has proposed $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024-25, with $29.3 million ongoing, to advance this Action Plan. The funding will support community outreach and law enforcement reform, tackle the rise in hate crimes, enhance community security, counter radicalization, and increase support for victims. Public Safety Canada is collaborating with Canadian Heritage and portfolio partners on advancing work on these actions.
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