Provincial grant helps Brampton’s Grace Place battle racism and hate crime
Published February 22, 2021 at 4:40 pm
Grace Place is getting some much-needed financial support from the province to combat racism and hate crime in Brampton.
The local community resource centre, in partnership with Peel Regional Police, will receive a $109,978 grant from the Ontario government.
The funding will go towards the Grace Place against Hate Crime Project in Brampton.
The financial support is part of the $2.6 million investment made by the province over two years through the Safer and Vital Communities (SVC) grant to help communities combat hate-motivated crime.
Grace Place is one of 26 community-based, not-for-profit organizations and First Nations Chiefs and Band Councils receiving the money to help implement local projects that tackle discrimination, foster better inclusiveness and address the increase of police-reported hate crime.
In 2017, according to Statistics Canada, criminal incidents motivated by hate in Canada rose over 47 per cent compared to the previous year.
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A number Brampton South MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria would certainly like to see come down.
“Our government has zero-tolerance for hate and racism in any form, and we continue to be focused on advancing community-based solutions to ensure Ontarians can overcome these real-life barriers,” said the Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction.
The goal of the Grace Place against Hate Crime is to make the local community centre a safer place and to prevent hate-motivated crime.
The project also aims to improve support for victims of hate crime and bridge the gap between the community and agencies, including the Canadian Mental Health Association and law enforcement.
Grace Place will do this through education and collaboration with community groups from their downtown Brampton Community Hub and Peel Regional Police.
The SVC aid will also be in addition to the province’s new $1.6 million Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Grant, which is currently being designed in collaboration with community groups to create effective solutions based on lived experiences and local needs.
Photo courtesy of Grace Place Community Resource Centre
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