Ottawa directs $1.6 million to youth gang-prevention project

The federal government is providing $1.6 million to the Joy Smith Foundation for a youth gang-prevention project in Manitoba and Alberta.

Public Safety Canada announced the funding on October 15 through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund. The project, called Limitless Futures: Empowering Youth Against Crime, is intended for at-risk and incarcerated youth aged 12 to 30.

The foundation plans weekly trauma-informed workshops in youth detention centres, group homes, alternative schools and other community settings. Sessions will address the consequences of violence and gang involvement, help participants build decision-making skills, and support young people who want to leave gangs or avoid joining them.

Community partners are expected to recruit participants and coordinate the workshops with existing services. The department did not provide a participant target or project end date in the release.

Source: Public Safety Canada, youth gang-prevention funding announcement, published October 15, 2026.

Featured image: Illustrative stock photo of a classroom workshop, not participants in the funded project. Photo by Quilia via Unsplash; cropped and resized by West Island Blog.