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Alberta government funds $250,000 study into hate crimes and how to prevent them

The research report is due in early 2023
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Standing in front of the Al Rashid Mosque in Edmonton, Premier Jason Kenney provided details in 2021 about a program to help protect religious and multicultural organizations in this contributed file photo. (Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)

Hate crimes in Alberta will be studied through a $250,000 provincial project that aims to prevent them in future

As part of the project, two Alberta-based non-government organizations will research the scope and impact of hate crimes at a grassroots level. Since they are known to be under-reported, researchers will focus on local communities to allow all affected Albertans a chance to be heard.

“All Albertans deserve to live free of fear and prejudice,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. He added this is why Alberta is investigating why bias-motivated incidents are on the rise.

”I look forward to learning more about how we can more effectively fight these troubling trends.”

The province is engaging community engagement expert Abdulkadir Abdi to coordinate the project. He will co-ordinate the research into a consolidate report to government with evidence-based recommendations.

The Alberta government is also funding the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee and the Organization for Prevention of Violence to conduct independent field research and community engagement. Alberta’s Hate Crime Coordination Unit will provide support, using police data and information from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

Consultations will occur throughout the province. Abdi will use this data to develop recommendations on how to better reduce and respond to these crime and assist survivors in recovery. His report will be delivered to the province in early 2023.

Tyler Shandro, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, said the provincial government “will not sit idly by while the vulnerable among us are subjected to treatment that none of us deserve.”

With the Alberta Security Infrastructure Program and the Hate Crimes Community Liaisons already in place, Shandro added, “I am confident … this important research will help us wield these tools even more effectively.”

Communities wishing to engage with researchers can contact the project via EndHate@gov.ab.ca.