AMENDMENTS TO SAFER COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS ACT PROPOSED

Amendments to The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act (SCAN) will create a new gang colours offence and will expand the grounds for an application under the Act.

The proposed amendments consist of the following:

• adding a "gang colours" offence to hinder potential crime, violence, intimidation and recruitment that may arise from gang colours being worn in licenced establishments;

• adding "housing or providing support and comfort to a gang or criminal organization" and "the commission or promotion of a criminal organization offence" as "specified uses" for a property that could form the basis for an application under the Act to close that property;

• expanding the liquor related "specified use" to cover the use, transfer and exchange of alcohol in addition to the "sale" of alcohol; and,

• creating a presumption that a person is a member of a criminal organization if they have been convicted of a criminal organization offence under the Criminal Code in order to ensure that the offence itself does not have to be re-proven in the course of an application under the Act.

The proposed amendments to the SCAN Act focus specifically on addressing gang activities and the often violent crimes such as assaults and intimidation of witnesses that gangs are alleged to participate in.

"All of these amendments will help strengthen The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act – legislation that has delivered impressive results in shutting down properties that house or support criminal activity," Justice Minister Frank Quennell said.

"These amendments are the next step in this government's ongoing commitment to creating a hostile environment for criminal activity in Saskatchewan," he added.

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For More Information, Contact:

Andrew Dinsmore Justice Regina Phone: (306) 787-8606