Community funding needed to combat gun violence: youth

Following the deaths of two men this week in a mass shooting in Etobicoke, leaders of the Toronto Youth Cabinet are calling on the city to make sustained investments in youth and communities to target the root causes of gun violence.

The calls come on June 7, which is National Day Against Gun Violence across Canada. Events are being held in Toronto Friday to bring attention to the issue, including a morning ceremony Mayor Olivia Chow held in Nathan Phillips Square.

Youth in poverty who lack a social safety net and opportunities are most impacted by gun violence and are often the perpetrators of such violence, said Stephen Mensah, executive director of the organization, which is the city's youth advocate body.

"Toronto is still grappling with challenges, such as limited access to community investments, persistently high unemployment and inadequate youth programming and the lack of community support," said Mensah at a news conference held outside North Albion Collegiate Institute, the site of the Etobicoke shooting that left two men dead and three others injured.

The city doesn't need more "awareness" around gun violence, said Mensah.

"Our communities and the young people who are facing these realities daily need action to improve their lived experiences. We've seen enough marches," he said.

So far in 2024, 18 people have been killed in shootings in Toronto and 50 have been injured, according to Toronto police data. That marks an increase from this time last year, which saw seven people killed and 43 injured by June.

Gun violence in Toronto has been trending downwards from 2019 to 2023.

The most recent shooting in Etobicoke has shaken the community, said Mensah and other youth at the news conference.

The shooting Sunday saw two men open fire on a group of people chatting in the school's parking lot after a soccer game. The suspects fled the scene.

Police said they do not believe the victims and the suspects knew each other.

Jessica, a Grade 11 student at the school who did not provide her last name, told reporters Friday that the shooting has been a shock for the neighbourhood.

"Something we hear about on the news can happen to any of us in places that we're supposed to be safe," she said. "The City of Toronto should definitely invest more in preventative measures and solutions in order to prevent [the] continued violence we are regularly faced with," she said.

CBC Toronto has asked the city for a response to their comments. A spokesperson said the city is working on a reply.