Regardless of how much money one throws at policing, crime still happens. Until we live in a perfectly utopian state, there will continue to be crime.
And unfortunately, there will be victims.
The Athabasca Regional Victim Services Society is there to help local victims through what can be one of the worst times in their lives.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, Athabasca Victim Services carried 90 files in the Boyle area, including the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. It carried 140 files in the Athabasca area, which includes Calling Lake. If that trajectory carries for the rest of year, that’s 225 cases total from January to December.
That’s 225 people and families that have to drive at least an hour for supports that were once served locally.
Rural areas like Athabasca are not only hotbeds for crime, but they notoriously lack services that are easily accessible in cities. Keeping this long-established service here in town seems like a no-brainer.
That’s why we at the Advocate were shocked to hear that its funding was being cut.
We were even more shocked to see a press release in our inboxes Oct. 19 stating there would be an increase in urban victim services funding.
Last week, the provincial government announced an extra $4.5 million for the Victims of Crime Fund. According to a press release from Justice and Solicitor General, that cash is set to, among other things, “go towards police-based victim services units.”
Apparently, not here in Athabasca.
“Available funding will nearly double for police-based victim services units in seven municipalities – Edmonton, Calgary, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat,” the release states, noting there will be six-figure increases in these urban areas.
This is outrageous.
It will be interesting, to say the least, to hear why Athabasca's funding was cut.
But wait — the Justice and Solicitor General representative also noted “Due to considerations of confidentiality, we are not able to share details regarding the grant applications and committee decision.”
That is something we think this community should fight. A decision like this deserves public answers.
