Budget Bulletin: Better/Safer Communities

To ensure Nova Scotians continue to enjoy safe, secure neighbourhoods, a number of investments are being made to deal with crime in communities.

The province is investing $65 million over four years to hire an additional 250 police officers. These officers will address organized crime, street crime, child exploitation, illegal drugs and school safety.

Nova Scotians are helping create a provincial crime prevention strategy. The Justice Minister's Task Force on Safer Streets and Communities is holding meetings across the province to gather information on initiatives that have a positive impact on communities.

More than $5 million is being invested to respond to Justice Merlin Nunn's report on the inquiry into the death of Halifax resident Theresa McEvoy. All 34 recommendations of the report were accepted. Three-million dollars will be spent focusing on prevention and addressing the needs of families and youth in Nova Scotia. A newly formed Family and Youth Services section has been created at the Department of Community Services and additional staff will be hired to develop a provincial child and youth strategy.

Another $461,000 will be invested to hire more mental health professionals to reduce delays in completing court-ordered assessments. Three-hundred-thousand dollars is being invested to hire two new Crown attorneys specializing in youth crime. A new attendance centre and bail supervision program in Halifax Regional Municipality will receive $1.3 million. Government is also committed to providing an update on the progress made in implementing the report's recommendations in June.

More than $1 million will be invested in two programs to keep homes and streets safer. A new public safety investigation unit has been established under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act and will receive $559,000 in this fiscal year. Nova Scotia has set another Canadian first, becoming the first province to use GPS tracking to monitor offenders on house arrest and $499,000 will support this program in 2007-2008.

Note: For further 2007-08 budget information, see the Department of Finance website at www.gov.ns.ca/finance .