In 2021, Waterloo Region has seen several shootings, which has many in the community concerned, as local experts want to see more authentic prevention.
However, funding is not consistent, and even with a successful prevention program, "it gets shut down after three to four years, gun violence, other types of violence start to increase, we fund it again for another three to four years, we shut it down, it's like groundhog day, every day," said Michael Parkinson with the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
There was a program called inReach - a federally funded youth street gang prevention program that ran for several years, however, funding dried up.
Also, Parkinson mentioned there is a successful program in the region, which is supported by garage sales and GoFundMe accounts, "and they work with children in the daycare setting, through to teens, young adults, and into adulthood."
However, Parkinson brought up, even with that program, more still needs to be done.
"There is tremendous interest in moving forward in authentic prevention initiatives, but you can't do that through garage sales and GoFundMe accounts you need substantial funding to run it for the long term, beyond the three to four-year grant cycle."
He added if authentic prevention had proper funding, law enforcement would not have to react as much, as well it would save the taxpayer more money, as it costs more than six figures to incarcerate an individual.