The Executive Director of the St. John’s Status of Women’s Council says without the voices of marginalized and vulnerable people being represented, funding to the Downtown Safety Coalition is misplaced.

A number of community groups, including the Status of Women’s Council, have penned an open letter to the province and the capital city, expressing concerns over $180,000 of funding for the Downtown Safety Coalition’s education campaign to increase the reporting of crime where it happens.

Lisa Faye with the council, says the purpose of the letter is to ensure that any funding granted represent the voices of those who attended a City of St John’s meeting on safety in the downtown in February.

She says there were robust and inclusive conversations on a safer downtown at that time, but when it came time to announce funding, it did not represent what people had said in the meetings.

“The consultation was there, but the response to that consultation was lacking.”

Faye says the coalition is an important part of the community and the discussion, but with this funding, their voice is being prioritized above marginalized an vulnerable people.

She says what was discussed at the meeting was that poverty was impacting safety and that people in that situation need greater access to services. She says the campaign focusing on “see it, say it” is not preventative, its reactionary. They want to ensure they are developing preventative measures.