Ottawa is investing tend of millions of dollars into fighting gang violence and gun crime in B.C.
On Monday morning, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino announced the federal government is adding $390 million over the next five years for provinces and territories.
B.C. is receiving $54.7 million that is intended to go towards a variety of initiatives, including support for police and prevention programs.
"It is quite a bit more than we received last year. I think it was about $32 million," said Mike Farnworth, B.C.'s public safety minister.
"We made it clear that the continuation of this funding is critically important."
Last week, a 20-year-old in Surrey was shot and killed in an attack that RCMP believe was connected to the B.C. gang conflict. Despite two recent shootings in the city, the local RCMP detachment's statistics show shootings are down compared to last year.
Violent crime is also down over the past few years and was down 14 percent during the first quarter of this year, according to Surrey RCMP data.
This downward trend in gang violence has also been reported by police departments in Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Abbotsford reported zero gang-related homicides in 2022. Five years prior, there were six, and that number has progressively declined since.
"We have our finger on the pulse. This is something that can flare up in any community," said Sgt. Paul Walker, spokesperson for the Abbotsford Police Department.
Walker said this apparent decrease could be due to their officers targeting those involved and making it difficult for gang members to operate in the city.
Abbotsford police are also attributing the downward trend to working with and educating individuals and families.
"It really is a community effort on all the players; whether it's police-enforcement driven or the support services that are working with the families of those entrenched. Collaboratively, we're working together to make a difference," said Walker.
For 15 years. Archway Community Services has been working with high-risk youth and helping them avoid a life of crime.
This past year, Archway is reporting that 150 children, the majority between the ages of 11-16, have required counselling, and the waitlist is growing.
"The youth that are in our program are being recruited by gangs or approached by gangs," said Manpreet Sarai who works as a gang reduction supervisor.
"The gang ends up giving them the support that they need, so when they come to services like this and receive the support here, and they have someone willing to listen to them, it impacts them in a supportive way."
Sarai says the rising number of children needing support is concerning because they can only help so many as funding is limited, and they rely on donations. Whether it's Archway or other youth services, she hopes additional funding can be made to help attack issues at their root.
It remains unclear if the organization will receive any of the federal funding earmarked for the "preventive programs" that the feds announced.