The Provincial Government has taken action to help curb targeted activities in neighbourhoods and communities.

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Justice, said today the Provincial Government�s initiative to bring forward the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act is to keep the province�s neighbourhoods safe, allowing them to continue to be the cornerstone of communities.

"This act allows our government to give residents a way to register complaints and to put an end to illegal activities that adversely affect or harm a neighbourhood," said the minister. "Our law enforcement agencies are seeing an increase in drug and prostitution-related criminal activity and our government is providing the legislation necessary to ensure residents feel safe within our neighbourhoods and communities."

Passed during this sitting of the House of Assembly, the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act uses civil law to promote peaceful communities and neighbourhoods to increase public safety. The legislation, developed in consultation with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholder groups, is designed to improve community safety by targeting and, if necessary, shutting down residential and commercial buildings and land which are habitually used for illegal activities such as producing, selling or using illegal drugs, as well as prostitution, solvent abuse or the unlawful sale and consumption of alcohol.

Budget 2007 provided $237,000 for an investigation unit within the Department of Justice that will be in place as early as this fall.

"These resources will be in addition to the existing resources used by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the services they provide," said Minister Osborne. "This program will be monitored and it is our intention to increase the program in the coming years."

The new act is modeled on similar legislation currently in place in the Province of Manitoba, and targets activities and not individuals. Since this legislation was proclaimed in Manitoba in 2006, nearly 200 drug, prostitution, and solvent abuse operations involving 193 complaints have been closed by the Public Safety Investigations Unit and $2 million in drugs were seized.

"This legislation will provide our police forces the support they need to begin the battle against these types of crimes, and as a government, we will work with them as they put residents first and continue to focus on public safety issues in Newfoundland and Labrador," said the minister.

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• The Department of Justice will be responsible for investigating complaints made under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act.
   
• Under the legislation, individuals will be able to file complaints if they feel their community or neighbourhood is being adversely affected by activities on or near a property in the area.
   
• Upon receipt of a complaint, the investigation unit will review and investigate to determine whether there are persistent activities taking place that are making the community or neighbourhood unsafe. If it is determined there is enough evidence to support the complaint, a decision will be made to apply for court orders or take other action such as issue warning letters, or informally resolve the matter.
   
• Upon application, the Supreme Court, Trial Division, may issue a "community safety order" or an "emergency closure order". The content of such orders may include closing a property for up to 90 days; requiring a tenancy agreement be terminated; or prohibiting persons from engaging in targeted activities. There will be provisions allowing for additional closure orders if the problem persists or if a closure is not originally ordered.
   
• The requirement for obtaining an order is the property must be being used habitually for one of the targeted activities, creating an adverse effect on the community.
   
• The target activities include; the use, sale, production and/or consumption of drugs (to include crystal methamphetamine labs and marijuana grow operations); prostitution or related activities; sale of liquor without a licence; and the use, sale or consumption of intoxicating substances contrary to the Liquor Control Act.
   
• Alternatives to court are contemplated and warning letters may be issued to an owner without judicial approval, or dispute resolution mechanisms can be pursued outside of court.
   
• The complaints are confidential and the identity of those who file a complaint will not be revealed at any time. No complainant, without their consent, will be identified to another person, court, government institution, local authority or law enforcement agency.

Media contact:
Melony O�Neill
Communications
Executive Council
709-729-0557
MOneill@gov.nl.ca 

2007 06 12                                              2:45 p.m.