Integrated Community Gang and Gun Violence Prevention
About this project
The Burnaby Integrated Community Gang and Gun Violence Prevention initiative is a multi-year project with the goal of reducing youth involvement with the dangerous gang lifestyle. By leveraging the City's resources and community connections, we can collaborate to create an integrated response to the growing concern of gang activity seen throughout the province.
Initial funding for this project is provided through the Public Safety Canada, Building Safer Communities Fund Gang and Gun Violence Prevention Grant.
Addressing the root causes of youth gang involvement
The project takes an upstream, evidence-based approach to preventing and addressing youth gang involvement. We focus on addressing the root causes of youth gang involvement, instead of dealing only with the negative outcomes. By increasing connections, opportunities and supports for youth and their families, we reduce the overall vulnerability of youth to gang engagement.
What we've accomplished
Hosted Burnaby Gang and Gun Violence Prevention Symposium
In March 2024, through partnership with Simon Fraser University we hosted our first Burnaby Gang and Gun Violence Prevention Symposium. This well-attended event brought together subject matter experts from across Canada and the US to share insights on emerging trends and strategies for preventing youth gang violence. The event attracted representatives from law enforcement agencies, community organizations, youth service providers and academia.
Launched educational video series
This series of videos explore ways in which our community of caring professionals can prevent youth from engaging in the dangerous gang lifestyle. The goal of these videos is to provide information and resources for parents and caregivers, to learn some of the risks, myths, and signs of gang involvement, and where to go for help.
What's happening now?
Five new community partner programs to support youth and families
Through these new programs, dedicated community partners provide a range of services, resources and support to vulnerable and at-risk youth. Together, these programs greatly increase our capacity to help our youth increase resiliency to the gang and gun lifestyle.
Development of a new Burnaby Gang and Gun Strategy
The City will seek to better understand the gang and gun landscape through targeted community engagement and deep analysis of the concerns and issues raised through this process. The new strategic framework will focus on prevention, intervention, enforcement and community engagement. The Burnaby Gang and Gun strategy will be among the first for BC municipalities.
Four Simon Fraser University research projects underway
These research projects provide an opportunity for us to learn more about the local gang and gun landscape, and what intervention is best to address our unique needs. Three of the research projects are focused on analyzing the role and function of local police and Burnaby School District 41 programs to support youth at risk of gang involvement, as well as that of the Burnaby Gang Enforcement team. The fourth research project is a large scale, multi-year analysis of the root causes of local youth gang engagement. Implementation of local research outcomes positions the City of Burnaby to be an innovative leader in future gang violence prevention work.
Youth Mural Program Enhancing our Community
Through mentoring and skills development, youth work with a professional mural artist to create graphic murals in their community. Through this program, youth aged 14 to 18 learn about artistic self-expression, the value of community beautification and pride in community.
Questions and answers
Youth gangs are groups of young people who associate regularly and engage in antisocial or criminal activities together. These activities can include behaviours such as drug trafficking, property crimes and violence. Members of a gang often rely on violent acts to gain power and recognition, or credibility.
Gangs often have a hierarchical structure, with leaders, members, and sometimes even initiation rituals.
The Montreal Police Service defines a youth gang as “an organized group of adolescents and/or young adults who rely on group intimidation and violence, and commit criminal acts in order to gain power and recognition and/or control certain areas of unlawful activity”. Montréal Police Service. Provincial Action Plan on Street Gangs. Québec: Department of Public Security, National Coordinating Committee, 2004 [Meeting, Toronto, May 25, 2005].
Despite there being many different reasons for youth to choose to engage with the gang lifestyle, many can be directly linked to seeking a connection, or sense of belonging. This can be an important missing piece for many youth who aren’t able to fulfill this basic need through an absence of positive peer or family connections. The issue is compounded when there are additional unmet health, education, or life skills needs.
Reference: Public Safety Canada
The upstream approach to violence prevention seeks to address the root causes of negative social and criminal behaviour among youth and children before these patterns start to worsen or become entrenched.
The value and increased effectiveness of this approach is supported by a robust body of research and becoming largely accepted as best practice.
Applying this to gang prevention, an upstream approach supports the creation of:
- positive mentor and social opportunities
- programs and services to address health, educational and life skills needs for positive youth development.
Reference: Public Safety Canada
Learn about the initiatives and priorities the City has undertaken to enhance safety in the Community Safety Plan.