Backgrounder

$21 Million Allocated to Safeguard Residents and Strengthen Communities

The Provincial Government is responding to the needs of residents and communities through a $21 million investment to enhance firefighting services, protect vulnerable populations and help ensure safe work environments.

Strengthening Community Emergency Services
Through Budget 2014 significant advancements are being made to provide fire truck equipment and training and support for close to 5,900 volunteer firefighters across Newfoundland and Labrador. Investments include:

• $4.5 million to fund vehicles needed for improved fire protection. This includes a one-time $3 million increase in funding when compared to last year;
• $2.1 million for the continuation of Basic 911 implementation;
• $530,000 for personal protection equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus to help ensure the safety of firefighters;
• $120,000 for Hazardous Material Response Training to enable the nine participating municipal fire departments to maintain and enhance their response capability; and,
• $400,000 for planning to establish a Central Medical Dispatch Centre, as reflected in Budget 2014 health announcements, which will streamline services, capture data and support the integration of 911 services.

Enhancing Safety and Justice
The Provincial Government is investing $9.2 million to strengthen policing services and enhance recruitment, search and rescue and the courts system. Areas of investment include:

• $4.8 million in additional funding for police services which, among other things, will be used to fund the following:
  • Five new RCMP officers for Labrador;
  • An increase in Memorial University’s Police Studies Program class size to enable the RNC to add 20 new constables over the next three years; and,
  • Additional funding for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – Newfoundland and Labrador.
• An increase of $116,000 to the annual grant provided to the Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue Association (NLSARA) for each of the next five years to be used to update vehicles and equipment and for radio licensing fees;
• $368,000 in additional funding for the province’s Provincial and Supreme Courts. This funding will be used to:
  • Update the Rules of Court;
  • Improve transcription services; and,
  • Install point of sale terminals at all Provincial Court Centres in the province in order to make it easier for residents to pay fines, fees and bail.
• A new Crown Attorney position will be added to the office in Gander to assist with public prosecutions; and,
• $2.1 million for the legal aid system and $1.7 million for the Sheriff's Office to begin implementing recommendations of the external reviews that were commissioned in 2013, as announced on March 24, 2014.

Creating Safe Communities
The Provincial Government is committed to building safe, violence-free communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Approximately $2.1 million will be allocated annually, towards:

• Building on the existing work of the Violence Prevention Initiative to raise awareness, enhance responsiveness, and increase the reporting of intimate partner violence.
• Supporting community-based agencies and stakeholder organizations that focus on the prevention, awareness and education related to violence and abuse; and,
• Place an emphasis on addressing the root causes of violence through four strategic priority areas which are: increasing public awareness and research; supporting Aboriginal women and children; increasing participation and leadership; and, enhancing policies and programs.

Creating Safe Workplaces
Safe workplaces are a priority and are being supported through a $1.6 million investment in offshore and workplace safety. The following areas are receiving funding:

• $1.2 million to increase the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board’s operating budget to fund the establishment of a safety oversight management system and to implement regulatory reforms, as well as to further implement recommendations from the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry;
• $200,000 for the addition of two Occupational Health and Safety Officer positions to assist with strategic planning as inspections are carried out across Newfoundland and Labrador; and,
• $175,000 to create a new Manager of Safety position within the Department of Transportation and Works to enhance current health and safety practices. This allocation will also be used to fill a Traffic Engineer position within the department.

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2014 03 27                                  2:50 p.m.