The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the City of St. John’s are providing funding of $180,000 to the Downtown Safety Coalition, which is working to increase safety and improve visitors’ experience in the downtown St. John’s core.

The safety and well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians is extremely important and the Provincial Government continues to work with its partners to ensure this province is a safe one to live, work and raise a family.

With $100,000 from the Department of Justice and Public Safety and $80,000 from the City of St. John’s, this funding will be used in part on a public education campaign to increase reporting of crime. This will build on the work already being done to provide staff and patrons of the area with a safe environment, as well as, address and deter violence and criminal activity.

The Downtown Safety Coalition is a working group formed to tackle the complex issue of safety in downtown St. John’s. The Coalition, which includes representatives of the RNC, Downtown St. John’s, the George Street Association, the City of St. John’s, Destination St. John’s, Hospitality NL, Music NL and the Provincial Government, have come together to share experiences, feedback, and align to address the matter of safety.

Quotes
“We appreciate the work of the Downtown Safety Coalition and are committed to continuing to work with the community and our partners as we all work towards a safer St. John’s for all residents and visitors. We believe the right people are engaged to address the concerns of residents of the community and continue to encourage residents to contact police if they notice any suspicious activity.”
Honourable John Hogan, KC
Minister of Justice and Public Safety

“The City of St. John’s has been pleased to participate in the Downtown Safety Coalition. We feel this is an excellent start on tackling this complex issue. We have committed $80,000 to ensure that the ‘See it, Say it’ marketing campaign designed to promote the reporting of suspected crimes or safety concerns can be implemented.”
Mayor Danny Breen
City of St. John’s

“To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with many hard-working entities who are aligned and committed to improving safety, via shared investment in various long term and pilot initiatives, is a historic moment of its own. Some projects will come together fast while others will need more time. For now, this announcement marks a new day for our downtown, where the time and attention of many have come together in a significant way to address a matter of improving safety for all.”
Board of the George Street Association
Project Leader of the Downtown Safety Coalition

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