Community Resilience Fund: Funding Project Descriptions

On this page:

• Projects funded from 2021-2022 call for proposals
• Projects funded from 2018-2019 call for proposals
• Projects funded from 2017-2018 call for proposals
• Projects funded from 2016-2017 call for proposals

Projects funded from 2021-2022 call for proposals

Projects with funding amounts over $25,000 are available under Proactive Disclosure. Outcomes from these projects will be available in the Research Catalogue.

Shift BC

The Government of British Columbia; Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General

This five-year project is a next phase for the Shift BC intervention program, which works with individuals in British Columbia who may be at-risk of – or involved in – violent extremism activities. The program provides vulnerable individuals with multi-sectoral and tailored interventions, thereby countering pathways of radicalization to violence at the individual level. The project aims to address grievances, remove risk factors, promote and enhance protective factors, promote societal integration, provide pro-social alternatives to violence, and connect participants with tailored services and supports.

Building on lessons learned from the early pilot and development phases of the program, this next stage for Shift BC includes adding new staff to carry out expanded research and service delivery functions, allowing operations to expand into new geographic regions and formalize and normalize professional clinical intervention supports. This next stage will also aim to further develop innovative approaches to multi-sector collaboration while protecting privacy, as well as expanding work to evaluate the impact of the program.

Partnership Enhancement: Identifying Opportunities and Removing Barriers to Multi-Sector Collaboration in the Prevention and Intervention of Violent Extremism

Living Skies Centre for Social Inquiry

This applied research project aims to help support more effective collaboration between specialists involved in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE), and human service professionals from fields like social work, clinical health, education, and policing, in how they formulate partnerships to work with individuals vulnerable or at-risk for radicalization to violence.

Over a two-year period, the project will identify evidence-based and experience-driven solutions to common pitfalls and promising opportunities in multi-sector collaborative efforts to prevent/counter violent extremism. Expected results are techniques and concrete tools to help develop shared language and ownership in this area of violence prevention, including to support more collaboration in the development and delivery of P/CVE models and strategies. Overall the project's main goal is to identify lessons learned, develop resources, and share knowledge that helps P/CVE stakeholders build effective, lasting relationships with the wider fields of human service providers.

Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)

Yorktown Family Services

This new project expands the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) intervention program to provide direct service support to additional communities in need in southern Ontario. ETA is a mobile, interdisciplinary model that helps young adults and adults through engaging and redirecting people that are on the pathway to grievance-based violence related to violent extremism. The program deploys rapid, mobile mental health and integrated care for people at-risk of radicalization to violence. The project aims to support participants in reconnecting with their communities in a positive way by providing social and emotional support and connecting them to a variety of services.

The project expansion includes partnership and exchange of knowledge and best practices with a wide range of social service organizations working in these geographic areas, and help expand the professional capacity of ETA. This new award also allows ETA to expand access, such as after-hours crisis support and a wider range of services to those vulnerable to engaging with violent extremism, adapted to the evolving nature of violent extremism and those drawn into these movements. This expansion supports enhanced program evaluation to better understand the impact of ETA on reducing violence and disengagement with violent extremism.

Community Trust and Strengthening IMVE Interventions by Countering Misinformation

Digital Public Square

The project aims to better understand and address circumstances where disinformation and distrust towards communities and institutions can contribute to ideologically motivated violent extremism. Work will include research into population subsets disproportionately impacted by forms of disinformation connected to xenophobic, anti-authority, gender-driven, and other ideologically-motivated forms of radicalization to violence.

Through improved understanding of such groups, Digital Public Square develops digital education and online awareness resources to build resilience against ideologically motivated violent extremist narratives and tactics, and counter the normalization of violence. This digital approach draws on and refines evidence-based approaches such as improving awareness about manipulation of social media content, addressing misperceptions around community tensions and polarization, and raising awareness of constructive, non-violent means to address social problems. Through research and digital engagement, the overall objective of the project is to counter forms of disinformation that can promote ideologically motivated violent extremism among Canadians with low trust in institutions and other communities.

Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP) Phase 2

Tech Against Terrorism

This project supports a new stage in the development of the Terrorist Content Analytics Platform, which was originally launched in 2020 as part of the Government of Canada's contribution to the Christchurch Call to Action, to assist smaller digital technology companies to rapidly detect and remove terrorist and violent extremist content from their platforms. The TCAP was designed not only to facilitate such moderation of content but also to help improve quantitative analysis of terrorist and violent extremist use of the Internet.

For this second phase, new work will be performed to create a large-scale, protected data archive to enable evidence-driven research, policy and prevention programming, as well as expanded capabilities to identify and assess more types of content, across a wider range of platforms. It will also will focus on developing a technical content moderation tool to assist smaller tech companies in managing their workflows to make swift and proportionate content moderation decisions.

Expanding online support pathways for Canadians at-risk of ideologically motivated violent extremism and enhancing multi-sectoral interventions

Moonshot

This project builds on an innovative pilot partnership between Moonshot and frontline intervention programs in Canada, aiming to reach individuals engaging with extremist content online and raise awareness about local, offline psychosocial support services. This expanded program further develops this innovative and scalable multi-sectoral approach to safeguard against the spread of violent extremism online, through the provision of targeted, tailored support to violent far-right (VFR) and incel audiences across five Canadian provinces: Ontario, Québec, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

The project serves Canadian Internet users who indicate risk by engaging with VFR and/or incel ideologies online, by advertising and making connections to specialized local offline psychosocial support services, in-line with relevant privacy legislation in each jurisdiction. Moonshot works closely with the frontline programs to craft advertising messages and service websites to emphasize the confidential, non-judgmental support offered, including services such as counseling, employment support, and addiction support.

Community Resilience Early Warning System Canada (CREWS-Canada)

MUFLEHUN

Muflehun works with local governments in selected pilot locations in Canada to help identify and prioritize local primary/early prevention needs. The project uses data-driven methods to identify and prioritize relevant risk and protective factors specific to the selected locations. Based on the results, Muflehun works with local government staff to develop recommendations for primary prevention programs that address each location's specific needs using a public health-informed primary prevention approach. This support includes the development of an interactive analytics and data visualization tool for local staff and stakeholders, to help them better understand local risk and protective factors, and facilitate their work to develop violence prevention programs.

The project also aims to produce and share broader analysis and resources for use beyond the pilot sites. Overall the project aims to support local, co-design of comprehensive frameworks supported by meaningful data, with the goal of helping better invest limited resources towards reducing local vulnerabilities to violent extremism.

Professionalizing the Practice: An Incel Radicalization Prevention Program

White Ribbon

This initiative raises awareness and equips frontline practitioners with evidence-based training, tools and collaboration opportunities to stop incel violence before it begins. The project aims to develop resources and support to help intervene when there are risk factors and warning signs, and support male youth to get the help they need to not be drawn into and/or to disengage from the incel movement.

The program focuses on Ontario, where representatives from professional bodies in the education, community child and youth services as well as mental health sectors will be involved over the five years of the project to guide the strategic approach, provide input, arrange testing, review results and promote the program. Such sectors do not typically have the information, training and resources to help them address the risk factors and warning signs of Incel violence, nor is there cross- sector collaboration on the issue.

This project addresses these deficits by increasing professional competency to identify the signs, building capacity on how to intervene effectively, and prevent Incel radicalization from happening in the first place, including through social marketing campaigns, online training modules, and practical tools.

Stories and Legacy – Turning unheard moments into generative tools for thwarting violent extremist recruitment

The Students Commission of Canada

This project is a pilot program that builds on previous research supported by the Community Resilience Fund that identified generativity – the desire to serve future generations – as a possible contributing driver for some youth to enter and exit violent extremism (VE) movements. The project aims to create educational materials that share stories of individuals who have been involved in VE, specifically to provide youth and adult allies with scenarios that offer insight into the often "unheard" moments in the exclusion process that can lead to polarization and "us vs. them" identity choices.

Grounded in research by Bishop's University's Dr. Heather Lawford, the project will use comedy, drama, and storytelling to provide insight into this exclusion process and the unheard moments that can be potential turning points towards or away from violent extremism, with the objective to interrupt narratives fostering radicalization and enhance programming for preventing and countering radicalization to violence. Along with the creation of the material, youth involved in this pilot project have the opportunity to plan knowledge mobilization activities and present their material within their community, school, or a youth organization.

Building Organizational and Community Capacity for Countering Hate and Violent Extremism

Peel Regional Police

This project is designed to strengthen the awareness, knowledge and capacity of Peel Regional Police (PRP) together with local service providers and community members to identify, prevent and respond to incidents of hate and extremist violence. While building on an existing training curriculum originally developed by PRP, this twelve-month initiative was designed to develop an expanded set of resources and training support through an innovative new partnership between the police service and over 30 diverse community partners to co-develop resources and training.

Through regular joint meetings, the partnership model was designed to collectively assess the current research and best practice on addressing hate crime and violent extremism, with a heightened emphasis on bias-sensitive approaches and efforts to counteract harmful misconceptions and the stigma associated with violent extremism.

The resources developed through the project will be disseminated through community training workshops, often to be delivered by community organizations themselves, to assist in identifying and appropriately responding to concerns about hate and extremism in the Regional Municipality of Peel.

Examining Socialization with a Nexus to Radicalization Across Gaming (-Adjacent) Platforms Through a Gender Lens

Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

This project, in partnership with the Extremism and Gaming Research Network, analyzes data from across multiple online platforms to investigate how the formation of communities alongside gameplay has the potential to form environments conducive to radicalization to violent extremism. Through gender-based analysis, this study examines how identities are formed for both individuals and groups of gamers and how misogyny can connect violent extremist ideologies across geography and culture on gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms.

Through an in-depth understanding of potentially harmful socialization processes on gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms, this study will contribute to measures that will help to ensure the safety of users, counter the abuse of these platforms for radicalization and recruitment into violent extremism, and inform preventative efforts to reach users at the intersection of gaming subcultures and violent extremism.

PreP Ex: Preparing Practitioners for the Rising Threat of Anti-Authority Extremism

modus|zad – Modus – Zentrum für angewandte Deradikalisierungsforschung

This project is a collaboration between German and Canadian subject matter experts to build an improved knowledge base about anti-authority forms of violent extremism, to help frontline practitioners and policymakers more effectively identify, categorize and respond to cases.

Research will be conducted jointly by Germany's modus|zad and the Edmonton-based Organization for the Prevention of Violence, to examine and learn how anti-authority forms of ideologically motivated violent extremism take shape in the two countries, online and offline. The results of this research partnership will be used to develop resources to assist frontline practitioners, law enforcement, policymakers, researchers, and civil society to better understand current and emerging countering radicalization to violence needs related to anti-authority violent extremism.

Repository of Extremist Aligned Documents (READ)

King's College London

This project is supporting the expansion of the READ resource, which is a secure repository of research-based documents and primary sources about ideologically motivated violent extremism (IMVE). This project supports in-depth work led by researchers and practitioners to better understand IMVE including white supremacist, xenophobic, anti-authority, and gender driven forms.

Transatlantic Network Against Extremism (TransNex)

SOCLES International Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

This collaboration between SOCLES and the Canadian Practitioners Network for Prevention of Extremist Violence established an international network to support peer-to-peer exchanges between frontline practitioners, subject matter experts and policymakers from Canada and Germany, as well as from the United States and Europe more broadly, to build knowledge and develop new resources for preventing and countering violent extremism.

Field visits and workshops are being utilized to help TransNex members identify key gaps in prevention programming and share expertise and experience on promising practices. This collaborative network is designed to develop shared solutions tailored to local needs, such as training and tools for practitioners to help them adapt to the evolving threat environment and learn more about effective methods to prevent and counter violent extremism.

Projects funded from 2018-2019 call for proposals

Projects with funding amounts over $25,000 are available under Proactive Disclosure. Outcomes from these projects will be available in the Research Catalogue.

Evaluation of an intervention model addressing violent radicalization

McGill University Heath Center Research Institute

This five-year research project is evaluating the effectiveness of the clinical intervention approach to addressing radicalization to violence used by frontline health and social service providers in Quebec. The model provides rapid response to cases of concern, combining expert clinical services in cultural psychiatry and violence risk assessment/management with working alliances of local service providers, to provide mentorship for at-risk youth or adults.

As part of the project, the research team is providing training and capacity-building for practitioners from social services and mental health sectors, as well as for law enforcement, researchers and university students in Quebec and across Canada. The goal of the project is to strengthen community-based clinical intervention programs for those at risk for or involved in violent extremism. This includes services to support family members, peers, and other frontline workers that might become involved in integrated casework and the assessment of risks, needs, and vulnerabilities.

Using generativity as a context to understand what drives youth to join violent extremists

Bishop's University

This exploratory research project aimed to contribute to the evidence base on what separates violent from non-violent pathways, in situations of ideologically motivated efforts to drive social change for youth and young adults. In particular, the research examined the role of 'generativity,' a concept grounded in the evidence that young people – and not just adults – are motivated to serve future generations, and how, in some rare cases, the desire to effect change can include justifications of violence.

Through interviews, focus groups, surveys and social media analysis, the project examined the conditions that are similar and different between violent and non-violent generative action by youth seeking social change. Further, through bringing together youth and frontline practitioners, the research has contributed to the development of evidence-based prevention approaches and alternative narratives to counter recruitment of youth into violent extremism movements.

Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)

Yorktown Family Services

Yorktown Family Services' Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) is a four-year program deploying rapid, mobile mental health and integrated care for people at risk of radicalization to violence in the city of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.

The ETA program focuses on individuals between the ages of 12 to 35 who might be involved with, or are at risk of, early stages of violent extremist activity. A clinical mental health response is central to the approach, including the involvement of case-relevant social services. The goals of this project are to increase social participation and a positive sense of belonging, such as through support in finding employment, volunteer work, and/or education.

As part of the ETA project, Yorktown Family Services provides public education, knowledge exchange and capacity building for the wider community of social services, education and mental health sectors.

Counterspeech Resources and Capacity Building

Dangerous Speech Project (Susan Ann Benesch)

This project aims to build a new body of knowledge on how to effectively produce online counterspeech, and helping decrease online hatred and other harmful content.

It draws on the experiences and lessons learned from a wide variety of people and countries with significant experience responding directly to harmful content online to create an interactive online tool as well as a book, which will share lessons and guidance in clear, accessible terms. Topics covered will include how and when to counter speak; tailoring counterspeech responses to one's audience, goals, or platform; understanding the limits of counterspeech; and protecting oneself and one's privacy.

In support of the initiative, the Dangerous Speech Project will organize events to draw lessons from experienced counterspeakers and allow them to learn from each other; create a network of counterspeakers and allies to leverage support and resources; and provide training by experts to enhance the effectiveness of the counterspeech, and the safety of counterspeakers.

Investigating the Role of School Professionals in the Prevention of Social Polarization and Radicalization Leading to Violence

Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention

This four-year project is conducting research to support school professionals across Canada in their efforts to understand and prevent violent extremism. The initiative is inspired by research showing that effective prevention of violence often involves multi-sectoral, holistic, whole-of-society approaches. The project examines how school professionals (including school administrators, school boards, teachers, guidance counsellors, school social workers, cultural liaisons, and school resource officers) can and do play a key role in prevention efforts.

This project aims to ensure school professionals are well equipped to understand social polarization and violent extremism; recognize early warning signs, risk factors, and behaviours associated with involvement in violent extremist movements; and build capacity to recognize relevant warning signs, make appropriate referrals, and improve assessments and early interventions.

Talking About Right-Wing Extremism

Ontario Tech University

This project is creating new training on ideologically motivated violent extremism (IMVE) for frontline practitioners in Canada, grounded in the latest research from Canada and internationally.

Through an expert symposium and regional training conferences on IMVE, the project is bringing together and sharing with stakeholders leading-edge research on IMVE and the most promising practices in preventing and countering it. Experts and practitioners from Canada, the United States, UK, Europe and Australia are participating in the project and working together to identify and fill gaps in knowledge and expertise for the Canadian context.

The collective knowledge of these global experts will serve as the evidence base for a new training package for frontline practitioners from law enforcement, security and intelligence, policy, and community-based anti-hate/anti-racism organizations. As part of the project, training will be delivered through regional conferences in Canada to present insights and intervention strategies, and help facilitate the development of local approaches for countering IMVE.

Block Hate: Building Resilience against Online Hate Speech brings me to Moonshot’s Improving Knowledge and Research Capacity on the Global Incel Community & Its Canadian Impact

YWCA Canada

This project aims to work with various stakeholders to co-create concrete solutions to address online hate speech, hate crime and radicalization to violence in communities across Canada. The overall objectives of this project are to identify trends in online hate speech, build capacity to respond among youth and other key groups, and support the development of technological solutions to prevent, address and report online hate speech informed by community-based research.

This project will strengthen civil society responses at the national and local levels through engagement with experts in technology, civil society, law enforcement, and academia, as well as local communities, in creating and sharing online tools, training, and resources to identify and counter hate against anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, Islamophobia and xenophobic or racist discourses.

Improving Knowledge and Research Capacity on the Global Incel Community & its Canadian Impact

Moonshot

This project developed a systematic, multi-platform study of incel communities using comprehensive online data collection and analysis, and stakeholder consultation. The research drew on partnerships with experts in related areas, including radicalization to violence, digital anthropology, gender-based violence, and social isolation.

This project increased awareness and understanding of online incel communities and improved the capacity of Canadian frontline practitioners to provide enhanced interventions for individuals who are in the process of radicalizing to violence.

Project activities included a literature review of existing studies and qualitative data collection, the development of a guide of incel symbols and terminology, the mapping of the online incel community, sharing global promising practices for countering radicalization to violence, and capacity building through interactive workshops with frontline service workers and practitioners.

Understanding Non-Involvement in Terrorism: Why Most Radicals Never Become Terrorists

Leiden University

This research project seeks to understand why some people who radicalize don't violently act out and determine what distinguishes this group from those who do cross this threshold. By exploring these differences, this project increases knowledge on barriers and protective factors, and how they interact with risk factors to shape when, why, and how radicalization does or does not lead to terrorist violence.

The project results will be shared through professional learning courses, publications, and academic conferences to help policymakers and practitioners more effectively to prevent and respond to terrorism.

Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP)

Tech Against Terrorism

This project has received funding to develop Tech Against Terrorism's new repository of terrorist content. The repository provides smaller-sized technology companies a consolidated library of existing terrorist content online, enabling them to be better able to identify and remove the content by cross-referencing new content on their platforms with existing content stored in the repository. In addition, companies will be able to add new terrorist content to the repository.

The repository is also available to researchers, enabling them to identify the prevalence and trends related to terrorist content online, and better evaluate initiatives aimed at countering violent extremism online.

Tech Against Terrorism is a UN-affiliated initiative that supports small technology companies in their efforts to remove terrorist content online. The initiative protects against terrorist use of the internet by providing companies with the capacity, knowledge, and/or financial resources required to strengthen their resiliency against terrorist activity.

Les brigades de Saint-Léonard

YMCA Québec

This project supported a local youth committee in the Montreal neighbourhood of Saint-Léonard to develop workshops, discussion guides and film screenings, to address radicalization to violence and related topics around identity and belonging among youth. Supported by professional organizations like the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence, the project involved assembling and training a "living together brigade" of local youth, to then lead discussions for young people between the ages of 10 and 17 in secondary schools and community settings.

This youth-led initiative aimed to counterbalance harmful influences of social polarization, and to develop protective factors against support for violent ideologies, including to equip young people with the skills to recognize and resist divisive discourse.

Community Action for Muslim Youth Integration

Canadian Ark Centre of Excellence

The Canadian Ark Centre of Excellence partnered with five community organizations to work with youth and their local communities in Ottawa to foster social cohesion and to counter social polarization and violent radicalization.

The project's overall objectives were to build capacity to address pathways of violent radicalization among youth and to empower local communities to prevent radicalization to violence. Specifically, it sought to address the polarized thinking underpinning bigotry, hate, and violence among youth populations, through sharing expert knowledge and lived experience in an interactive setting. This project aimed to strengthen the capacities of community leaders, scholars, practitioners, and affected youth, along with their families and communities, to support appropriate community responses to address polarization and violent radicalization among youth.

Projects funded from 2017-2018 call for proposals

Projects with funding amounts over $25,000 are available under Proactive Disclosure. Outcomes from these projects will be available in the Research Catalogue.

Testing the Reliability, Validity and Equity of Terrorism Risk Assessment Tools

University College London, University of Waterloo and University of New Brunswick

The University College London, University of Waterloo and University of New Brunswick collaborated on this two-year research project to evaluate the effectiveness of various risk assessments tools used in the context of countering violent extremism.

Research was conducted on the content, reliability, and validity of these risk assessment tools. The project also compared assessments tools to determine if certain tools are more applicable to assess individuals who are at different stages in the process of radicalization to violence. The findings provide evidence to inform multiple facets of risk assessment and threat management activities across terrorist offender types.

Families and Radicalization to Violence

Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence

This project explored how families can protect from, or contribute to, radicalization to violence. Research included literature reviews, interviews, and knowledge-sharing activities, such as the development of toolkits and resources.

This project contributed to a more informed understanding of the risk and protective factors related to family dynamics that contribute to the process of radicalization to violence. It also helped to inform support systems and strategies designed for families whose lives have been touched by violent radicalization.

Action-oriented Research to Understand Community Resilience and Radicalization to Violence across Canada

Boston Children's Hospital

The Boston Children's Hospital collaborated with McGill University to study how social connections can play a role in building resilience towards violent extremism.

Existing data on different Canadian subgroups was pooled together and analyzed to identify common factors that are associated with community resilience, and how community resilience, in turn, protects communities from radicalization to violence. Key findings from these activities help inform practitioners about best practices to foster resilience, encourage stronger civic engagement, and create safe spaces for individuals to express radical ideas that challenge injustices without the need to resort to violence.

The Far-Right in Quebec: Actors, Ideologies, and Prevention

Cégep Édouard-Montpetit

This project aimed to bridge knowledge gaps in the current understanding of the far-right extremism movement in Quebec over the course of three years. Project activities were divided into two complementary phases:

1. An in-depth exploration of far-right extremism in Quebec through media analysis and interviews with experts and activists
2. The development of workshops that will be delivered at schools and youth programs in the Montégérie region of Québec.

Results from the project have also gone towards supporting local police services and community organizations in improving their interventions.

Updating the Environmental Scan of Right-Wing Extremism in Canada

University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)

This three-year project established an updated, comprehensive view of the beliefs, motivations, activities, and connections that characterize the right-wing extremism movement in Canada.

Project activities included examining interviews with law enforcement, community anti-hate activists, and former and current extremists. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology also partnered with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue to conduct innovative analysis of online content and media coverage, which has helped inform local responses to hate speech and hate crime.

Project ReSet

John Howard Society of Ottawa (JHSO)

Project ReSet is a five-year initiative dedicated to disengaging individuals in the Eastern-Ontario region from extremist-based violence.

The pilot project will work with individuals at higher risk of committing, or who have already committed, acts of extremist violence, as determined by a comprehensive referral system made up of justice partners including court officials and police services. Clinicians, social workers, and other specialists will then work directly with the individuals to develop tailored intervention plans based on their particular needs, existing strengths and resources, and risk factors associated with extremist violence.

Canada Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence (CPN-PREV): Mapping assets, assessing scientific knowledge, and developing shared national resources for the prevention of violent radicalization

Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

This project aims to increase Canada's capacity to assess, prevent and intervene with individuals at risk of radicalizing to violence. The project has three objectives: (1) examining the level of collaboration among existing programs across Canada for countering radicalization to violence; (2) strengthening partnerships across sectors and regions and developing networks to support interventions; and (3) improve access to resources, training, and tools for prevention, assessment, and intervention against radicalization to violence.

Training materials produced from this project will support practitioners in the health and social services, as well as non-governmental organizations in Canada involved in the assessment, prevention and intervention with individuals at risk of radicalizing to violence.

Pushing Back Against Hate in Online Communities

MediaSmarts

This project examined the attitudes and experiences of young Canadians toward online hate speech and violent radicalization. It also determined the factors that influence whether or not to speak out against what they see online. The study was conducted in the form of a national survey of approximately 1000 youth in grades 9 and 10.

Findings were used to establish data on young Canadians' understandings and experiences with online hate speech in their everyday lives. This data helps to inform policy and develop programs by governments and Internet service providers that will promote a norm of speaking out against hate speech which can protect against violent extremism.

Pushing Back Against Hate in Online Communities supports MediaSmarts' efforts to increase critical thinking skills among youth by preparing them to recognize, resist and respond to hate material online.

Canada Redirect

Moonshot

The project provided alternative, positive content to vulnerable individuals searching for violent extremist material online. The technique, known as the "Redirect Method," used online advertising tools and Internet video channels to direct individuals to content created by credible third parties that challenge ideologies that can motivate destructive attitudes and behaviour.

Findings from this project help inform local communities and practitioners about countering radicalization to violence in the online space, and help expand the reach and impact of organizations across Canada that are creating positive alternative content.

Schools & PVE: Scoping Review, Expert Consultation, Policy/Program Directions, Research Questions

Simon Fraser University

This project sought to identify and examine school-based and school-linked interventions that have been proven to promote social inclusion and positive connections to school for students. The aim was to learn how these policies and programs can be adapted to help prevent violent extremism (PVE).

Activities included a review and synthesis of research findings, the formation of an expert Project Advisory Committee, and international consultations with education officials and practitioners, all to develop recommendations for a multi-intervention approach to PVE. This project has contributed to the evidence base about relevant programs and resources for PVE in the school context, and identify opportunities for PVE resources to be more widely accessible, such as through websites of existing international education, social development and health networks.

Community Reporting Thresholds: Sharing Information with Authorities on Violent Extremism

Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)

Toronto Metropolitan University collaborated with Australia's Deakin University and the UK's University of Huddersfield, to replicate and build on research in those two countries about what either drives or prevents people from informing authorities about potential radicalization to violence. The approach was designed to better understand the experiences of those who have considered sharing concerns about "intimate others," (i.e., partners, family members, and friends), on suspected involvement in violent extremist activity across the ideological, political and social spectrum.

Community-based consultations were conducted in Canada to learn about local context, which provided insight into what challenges exist for people wishing to report, as well as to identify more urgent threats that pose a risk to community safety and well-being. The aim was to inform government and community agencies' efforts to develop community-facing policies, programs and campaigns, in order to build confidence and trust in the resources and organizations available for sharing concerns about violent extremism.

PREV-IMPACT Canada: Evaluation model for prevention of radicalization to violence programs in Canada

University of Sherbrooke

The PREV-IMPACT Canada project will equip frontline practitioners with the capabilities to be able to better evaluate efforts currently being used to prevent radicalization leading to violence in Canada, particularly at the level of local organizations and communities. The initiative will survey international best practices and lessons learned on evaluation methods, as well as conduct frontline research with prevention practitioners in several locations across Canada and internationally.

Drawing on this research, the team will develop tools and training adapted for the Canadian context, and test them in three locations. These resources will then be refined based on the tests, and then will be applied in a larger context to include more Canadian practitioners and stakeholders involved in preventing radicalization leading to violence, including researchers and students.

This project aims to inform program evaluation for all the main categories of countering radicalization to violence: early prevention aimed at the general population, at-risk prevention efforts directed at individuals or groups in early stages of radicalization to violence, and disengagement and reintegration efforts designed for individuals directly involved in ideologically motivated violence.

Extreme Dialogue

Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)

This project builds on a long-standing international program, first launched in 2015 through support from Public Safety Canada, designed to give young people the resources to challenge violent extremism in all its forms. Extreme Dialogue is a free resource designed to be delivered by teachers, youth practitioners, external facilitators (including social services and police), or young people themselves, by using films and supporting curriculum materials to learn about the true stories of those affected by violent extremism.

This new investment will support bringing the program to approximately 2,000 students between the ages of 14-20 in eight different francophone high schools and CEGEP/colleges in Quebec, and will deliver new and adapted education material and workshops for students, delivered by teachers and practitioners. Teachers and practitioners will be equipped through training delivered by the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence (CPRLV).

Ultimately, this project aims to build resilience to radicalization leading to violence in youth by providing them with the knowledge, skills and values needed not only to openly discuss, but to also challenge extremism in schools and other settings within their community.

Set up of the CPRLV mentorship program for people at risk or in radicalization to violence situations

Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence (CPRLV)

This pilot project will support the training and development of mentors who can step in to work with individuals who are at risk of involvement, or already involved, in processes of radicalization leading to violence. Montreal's CPRLV will be working with one of the leading international models, the Aarhus Mentorship Program from Denmark, to adapt their training and tools to local needs in Canada, and specifically for Quebec.

The overall approach aims to build the skills and knowledge of mentors to help individuals at risk find alternative, positive sources of belonging and strengthen their social skills and resilience in the face of violent extremist influences.

A diverse group of mentors from the CPRLV, as well as from sectors such as education and community services across Quebec, will be selected to participate in training, and then supported to use their training in working with individuals at risk. The project will inform potential application of the approach in other parts of the country and contribute to the international evidence base about the advantages and challenges of mentorship as a form of intervention.

Projects funded from 2016-2017 call for proposals

Projects with funding amounts over $25,000 are available under Proactive Disclosure. Outcomes from these projects will be available in the Research Catalogue.

CVE Toronto

Toronto Police Service

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Toronto was an initiative led by Toronto Police Service to counter radicalization to violence in the city. CVE Toronto expanded to layer countering violent extremism-related training into an existing program, called FOCUS Toronto. FOCUS Toronto is led by the Toronto Police Service, the City of Toronto, the United Way, and partnered with local community organizations, and is a collaborative prevention and intervention program that aims to reduce crime and improve community resiliency in the city.

Funding to CVE Toronto helped FOCUS Toronto multi-agency situation tables to expand their reach and capabilities, including for addressing cases of radicalization leading to violence. Funding also supported FOCUS Toronto in receiving, assessing, and processing information on persons at risk of being radicalized to violent extremism and will contribute to better training for those who work directly with such individuals.

Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism: Assessing Canada's Domestic & International Strategies

Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queen's University

The Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) at Queen's University undertook a study of national and international strategies for countering radicalization to violence and counter-terrorism.

As part of their study, CIDP held a workshop in early 2017 for experts from academia, government, the private sector, and non-government organizations to develop recommendations for government policy and program design. The recommendations from this workshop emphasized the importance of (1) addressing a wide range of violent extremist activities from hate crimes to terrorist attacks; (2) developing communications that counter myths about radicalization and terrorism; (3) disseminating best practices for communicating after terrorist events; and (4) measuring progress as well as evaluating the success of programs aimed at countering violent extremism.

These recommendations helped inform the Canada Centre's National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence.

Foreign Fighter Radicalization: Advanced Primary Data Acquisition, Analysis and Modeling

University of Waterloo

For this study, researchers collected information about the background, experiences and perspectives of Western foreign fighters, their families, friends and online supporters along with the role of social media in their recruitment. In particular, this project sought to increase our understanding of why Canadians and other Westerners became involved in the conflict in Syria and Iraq. The goal was to build a model showing the various pathways along which an individual may radicalize to violence. Findings from this project help guide the development of Canadian programs to prevent violent extremism as well as the creation of training materials for law enforcement and government officials.

Public Perceptions on Radicalization and Resilience to Violence in Canada

Association for Canadian Studies

The Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) conducted a public opinion survey with Canadians on topics such as identity, immigration, religion, integration, and the experience of hate incidents. Respondents were also asked about their views on terrorism, radicalization to violence, and the government initiatives to counter-terrorism and counter radicalization to violence. This survey provides updated data about Canadians' points of view that can be compared to other surveys conducted by the ACS on similar topics since 2012.

Findings from this survey, including comparisons with data from previous years, help inform government programming on these issues as well as public messaging and outreach campaigns. Results also help community leaders, frontline workers and practitioners in this area to better understand and respond to the incidents of radicalization to violence. These survey findings are public, and include results such as: 1) Canadians generally think that Canada's efforts to fight terrorism are more effective than international efforts; and 2) Canadians worry more about terrorist activities abroad than at home.

Needs Assessment: Digital Shepherds Canada – Building the capacity of civil society & CRV practitioners to assess and engage with vulnerability online

Moonshot

Moonshot carried out an assessment from January to March 2017 to understand the gaps and opportunities in using the Internet and social media to counter radicalization to violence in Canada. The project included a literature review to better understand the nature of the online challenge as it relates to individuals' vulnerability to recruitment; a questionnaire to consider the digital literacy of practitioners; interviews with over 75 experts and practitioners on current online capabilities and online efforts for countering radicalization; and workshops with practitioners to examine local needs and opportunities.

A condensed version of the project report (PDF) outlines the scope of the online challenge, the local offline and online CVE processes in major cities, and opportunities and recommendations for better using the Internet to counter radicalization to violence in Canada. Some of the recommendations include: (a) using online advertising to nudge at-risk individuals towards resources that offer help; and (b) conducting personalized interventions through the Internet.

Canada Evidence-based Practitioners Network (CEPN): Mapping assets, assessing scientific knowledge, and developing shared national resources for the prevention of violent radicalization

Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

This project aimed to increase Canada's capacity to assess, prevent and intervene with individuals at risk of radicalizing to violence. The project had three objectives: (1) examining the level of collaboration among existing programs across Canada for countering radicalization to violence; (2) strengthening partnerships across sectors and regions and developing networks to support interventions; and (3) producing and distributing information, resources, training, and tools for prevention, assessment, and intervention against radicalization to violence.

Training materials produced from this project support the growing community of professional practitioners in the health and social services, as well as non-governmental organizations in Canada involved in the assessment, prevention and intervention with individuals at risk of radicalizing to violence.

Design and Performance: Developing Canadian Partnerships for Countering Violent Extremism

Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)

Toronto Metropolitan University examined and evaluated the performance of multi-agency approaches to counter radicalization to violence in Canada. Multi-agency approaches involve collaboration among a range of sectors, such as social and health services, law enforcement, education, and community-based organizations. Representatives of these sectors analyzed complex cases of individuals potentially at a high risk of criminality or harm, and designed interventions tailored to the individuals and their local contexts.

This project drew on national and international best practices to develop an evaluation approach for measuring the progress of multi-agency efforts in Canada. Toronto Metropolitan in turn used this tool to engage with networks of stakeholders involved in these programs, assess how they are working together, and evaluate the operation and performance of multi-agency programs currently operating in Canada. These findings help inform and improve current practice in Canada, including implementation of the Canada Centre's National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence.

Implementing Social Pedagogical Practices via the SOMEONE (Social Media Education Every Day) Multimedia Portal

Concordia University

Funding support was provided to Project SOMEONE to expand their work with educators, media, government and the general public to address hate speech and radicalization to violence through a focus on the roles of public communication and the Internet. The Project SOMEONE team analyzed patterns of online hate speech and developed a total of 11 projects and associated educational materials that can be used in elementary, secondary and post-secondary classroom settings. Their objective was to build resilience against hate speech and radicalization leading to violence among students. These materials are hosted on the Project SOMEONE website and are available for use by educators.

Project SOMEONE aims to widen the availability of these resources to national and international audiences, and to evaluate their impact for future improvement. This work also engages with partners in the media to provide the public an opportunity to contribute towards creating alternative narratives to the messages of hate and radicalization.

CVE e-Learning Project and Situation Tables – E-Learn and Manual Translation (Two Projects)

Ontario Provincial Police

Wilfrid Laurier University partnered with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to support the creation and application of training programs for law enforcement officers and community partners in countering radicalization to violence across the province.

The first project was a bilingual online digital tool that helps increase awareness about radicalization to violence. The tool gathered and presented knowledge on processes of radicalization to violence, described approaches to countering radicalization to violence that have proven effective, and incorporates case-studies relevant to the Canadian context.

Bridging the Gap: An Evidence-based Approach and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in the Application of the Public Health Model for Monitoring Online Risk Factors in Support of Community Based Preventing Violent Extremism in Canada

SecDev Foundation

The SecDev Foundation examined the current state of online violent extremist content and activity, and discussed its results at an event held March 6-7, 2017. Entitled "Women, Technology, Partnerships: Countering Terrorist Use of the Internet," the event brought together international and non-governmental organization representatives, officials, academic experts, and social media companies to discuss international efforts and public-private partnership approaches for preventing radicalization to violence, with a special focus on the role of women.

Conversations at the workshop focused on the importance of linking offline and online prevention efforts; learning from other fields of prevention; and incorporating a gender-specific focus. Information collected from these activities will inform the Canada Centre's policy, research, and practice on extremist and terrorist use of the Internet.

Calgary ReDirect

Calgary Police Service

ReDirect aims to increase and improve collaboration among local partners including the City of Calgary, Calgary Community & Neighborhood Services, Calgary Police Service and community actors and organizations in early prevention and intervention for youth who are vulnerable to radicalization to violence. The program also supports the sharing of best practices with other prevention and intervention efforts across Canada.

Funding for ReDirect helped expand the program's capability to identify youth who are at a high-risk of becoming radicalized to violence, and provide individually-tailored support plans to redirect them away from potentially dangerous activity. This funding also supported partners and communities to address broader issues that lead to radicalization to violence.

The Resiliency Project

Edmonton Police Service

For this project, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has partnered with the City of Edmonton and the Organization for the Prevention of Violence (supported through a separate Community Resilience Fund award) to create a number of programs to bolster community resilience to radicalization to violence both offline and online.

The overall goal is to proactively build trust and mutual understanding with communities and micro-communities (e.g., youth, women, youth-at-risk). This project will focus on education and awareness raising, creating counter-narratives and training modules that will increase the capacity of EPS and community stakeholders to support individuals at high-risk of radicalizing to violence.

CVE in Alberta – Assessing and Addressing the Problem of Radicalization to Violence

Organization for the Prevention of Violence

The Organization for the Prevention of Violence (OPV) brought together subject matter experts, frontline practitioners, and community activists to assess potential sources of violent extremism in Alberta.

This project assessed the local context and current trends in the following domains: 1) identification of the level of radicalization to violence for different forms of extremism; 2) identification of risk and protective factors for violent extremism; and 3) identification of important capabilities of government and non-government organizations to counter violent extremism in Alberta.

The project activities included conducting workshops, focus groups, and designing educational materials and intervention procedures. Findings from the OPV's work were published to provide practitioners, community members and other stakeholders guidance for their work in countering radicalization to violence.

Ottawa MERIT (Multiagency Early Risk Intervention Tables)

Ottawa Police Service

Ottawa Police Service expanded Ottawa MERIT, a collaborative intervention program involving multiple local agencies. This program focused on community development, education, prevention, and risk mitigation through early intervention. The goal was to better help individuals in need by creating an efficient system that can increase the delivery of social services. The expansion broadened the prevention work in Ottawa, including by building in resources to address cases of radicalization to violence. Funding was used to assess local needs, train frontline officers and practitioners, measure program performance, and build awareness by engaging with the public through public relations campaigns.

Shift

British Columbia Government Office of Crime Reduction

Shift is a civilian-led program delivered in partnership with municipal governments, community stakeholders, and law enforcement to prevent radicalization to violence in the province, by engaging vulnerable individuals and developing intervention strategies tailored to the person. The project aims to help establish and support multi-agency hubs in British Columbia that connect at-risk individuals with local counselling, social services, or other tools in keeping with key disengagement strategies for those who may be at risk of adopting violent ideologies.

This initiative is designed to adopt and apply best practices from existing intervention programs across the country, and evaluate their effectiveness in reducing violent extremism.

Date modified:

2025-01-27