Canada’s Government Puts $2 Million Investment into Prince Edward Island for Roadside Safety

The Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada issued a press release concerning investment by the government of Canada to promote road safety standards from impaired drivers. According to the press release, there appears to be a lack of understanding concerning the risks associated with cannabis impaired driving.

To further promote better safety, the press release indicates Honorable Lawrence MacAulay, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, on behalf of the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, the Honorable Bill Blair, announced an investment of $2.5 years to Price Edward Island. The investment will be made over the course of five years for the purpose of supporting law enforcement by enhancing the number of police officers on the front line who are trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition Expert evaluation. The funds can also be used to purchase approved drug screening devices and to establish dedicated trainers who will deliver new and refresher training.

Through the funding, standardized data collection and reporting practices will be developed. These practices can be used for trend analysis, identifying gaps for the provision of an accurate understanding of drug-impaired riving in Canada.

Blair shared in the press release,

“We want Canadians to understand the dangers and consequences of driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs, including cannabis. Stronger penalties and law enforcement alone can't resolve the problem; public education and awareness are important pieces of making it socially unacceptable. Today's investment ensures that frontline police officers have the tools they need to detect drug-impaired drivers to keep our roads safe.”

MacAulauy also added in the press release,

“Our law enforcement does incredible work each and every day to keep our Island safe. Every injury or death from drug-impaired driving is preventable, and the devastating impacts affect our entire community. I'm happy to see this investment today as Canadians need to understand, when you consume cannabis, regardless of the method of consumption, you cannot – and should not – drive.”

Further, Bloyce Thompson, the Minister of Justice and Public Safety added therein,

“The law enforcement agencies on the Island do an incredible job to keep our communities safe. With the legalization of cannabis, it is critical that law enforcement be empowered with appropriate training and tools to assure everyone's safety. The Government of Prince Edward Island has worked diligently to provide education to Islanders on cannabis use and its many associated risks, particularly for drug-impaired driving. This funding to support our policing agencies will help ensure Prince Edward Island remains one of the safest places in Canada.”