The United Conservative government introduced a bill last week that would expand the scope of the Victims of Crime Fund to include public safety initiatives
It says those initiatives would include preventative measures through specialized police teams, drug treatment courts and the hiring of more Crown prosecutors.Money for the fund comes from provincial fine surcharges and is meant to help crime victims through financial relief and support programs.
“If this legislation is successful, the solicitor general will arbitrarily have unfettered access to the fund to provide more police, more prosecutors and fund other undefined public safety initiatives,” the association said in a news release. Alf Rudd, president of the victim services association, said the fund costs $43 million a year to operate, but has managed to rack up a surplus of $74 million.The province also increased the victim fine surcharge in April from 15 to 20 per cent.
Rudd said his organization, a non-profit that represents more than 70 victim service programs across Alberta, would be willing to discuss ways to put the fund’s extra money to use, rather than divert it to initiatives that should be government funded.
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