Red Deer receives $2.1M from Ottawa to reduce gun and gang violence

Trauma surgeon Matt Strickland knows first hand the harm that firearms can do, so he's hoping a new investment into preventing gun violence in Red Deer works.

"It's this layer of human tragedy that exists," Strickland told CTV News Edmonton.

"Telling the loved ones of someone who has died from a firearm injury that they're never going to see their loved one again never gets easier. That's the part that hurts the most."

Strickland is part of Doctors For Protection From Guns, an advocacy group concerned about the increasing public health impact of firearms.

"It's an important issue and it's one that people don't realize because until it affects them, they're happy to live their lives blissfully not worrying about it," he said.

But the issue is in the federal government's sights, with the Building Safer Communities Fund, which gives money to municipalities for programs focusing on youth involved in gun and gang violence.

Red Deer will receive $2.1 million as part of that program.

"Setting them up properly at an early stage of life is where we see the most benefit," said Kristin Walsh with The City of Red Deer.

So far this year, Red Deer has seen more than 250 weapons-related offences, already surpassing 2021.

"If we can utilize those resources to mitigate and steer the youth away from that life of crime then that would be a benefit for Red Deer," said Mike Evans with the RCMP.

Dr. Strickland believes that the fund, along with the ban on the import of handguns into Canada, are steps in the right direction.

"Finally we're looking at firearm violence as a public health problem and we're chipping away at it from different angles to make our community safer," he said.

With files from CTV News Red Deer's Nav Sangha