Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis says the new provincial budget includes funding for public safety initiatives, February 28, 2023. (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Provincial investments aim to bolster public safety

Feb 28, 2023 | 3:50 PM

EDMONTON – The Government of Alberta says it will be investing into a variety of public safety initiatives over the next three years.

As part of Budget 2023, released on Feb. 28, Premier Danielle Smith says “standing up for Albertans” is one of her top two priorities. The other is “securing Alberta’s future.”

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis adds that the province will work alongside communities to ensure everyone can feel safe.

“By working with various levels of government and Indigenous organizations with a shared goal of increasing safety for Albertans, trust is built between the public and the police that serve their community,” says Ellis. “These investments will find local solutions to keep Albertans and their families safe, no matter where they choose to call home.”

The budget provides $709 million for public security in 2023-24.

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Some of the capital projects relating to public safety infrastructure in the budget includes $83 million in 2023-25 to continue work on building the new Red Deer Justice Centre and $1 million in 2023-24 to expand the Grande Prairie Courthouse.

First Nations policing will be a priority for the province in the coming years as $65 million has been allocated to creating up to 35 new policing positions in the Blood Tribe Police Service, Lakeshore Regional Police Service, and Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service.

According to the 2023-26 Government of Alberta Strategic Plan, the province is making “transformational changes” to ensure Albertans can access efficient and reliable services. This includes ensuring that the justice system will be “fairer, faster, and more effective.”

The province says the justice system will be more responsive to the needs of Albertans by including other forms of justice, such as restorative justice practices and both mental health and drug treatment courts. These offer non-violent offenders a chance to avoid jail time by completing a treatment program.

The government plans to make changes to the family court system by assessing charges and introducing mediation and intervention programs before a matter goes before a judge.

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Nicholas Milliken says mental health and addictions are often intertwined with crime, so this will also be a significant focus for the government.

“Budget 2023 continues to build on the government’s efforts to keep our communities safe while treating mental health and addiction as health-care issues,” says Milliken. “We recognize that police services, firefighters, first responders and community service providers are critical partners in supporting Alberta’s most vulnerable citizens, and we will continue to work with them to build out a recovery-oriented system of care for mental health and addiction.”

Milliken says $155 million will be invested into recovery communities over the next three years, offering long-term residential addiction treatment.

The Red Deer Recovery Community is set to open in March 2023 while the Lethbridge Recovery Community is expected to open in spring 2023. More recovery communities are planned on the Blood Tribe First Nation, Grande Prairie, Central Alberta, Northern Alberta, Calgary, and Edmonton.

A total of $497 million will be allocated over three years to housing and social services. The provincial budget document says this includes initiatives in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, High Level, Manning, DeBolt, and Fort Chipewyan.

The Affordable Housing Partnership Program will receive $202 million in funding in 2023-26 while the government plans to spend $68 million on its Affordable Housing Strategy.

$12.5 million will be spent in 2023-24 to support the expansion of therapeutic living units within correctional facilities to help inmates access recovery-oriented treatment programs.