Community-based organizations in Sudbury receive provincial funding to prevent cybercrime
The Ontario government is investing $1.6 million into 18 community-based organizations as a way to stop fraud, human trafficking and hate crime from happening. Two organizations in Greater Sudbury are on the list to receive funding.
Spark Employment Services in Sudbury is one of the recipients.One of the recipients in Sudbury is Spark Employment Services. The organization is receiving over $70,000 which they will use to create a Cyber Security Awareness Training program in the form of a two day workshop. (Molly Frommer/CTV News Northern Ontario)Spark is receiving just over $70,000 and that money will be going into creating a Cyber Security Awareness Training program, which will be a two day workshop.
“The program will be designed to support job seekers who are interested in job searching online, and or working remotely and looking for those opportunities online,” Chantal Makela, the CEO of Spark Employment Services in Sudbury, told CTV News.
“It’s for anyone seeking employee support and it’s also targeting the employers. So, how to promote it online, how to safely do that and attract individuals online so we’re open to everyone.”
Makela said having a program like this in place is vital, especially these days.
“We know that there are many victims to cyber crime and fraud online,” she added.
“We know especially since the pandemic a lot of individuals are now spending a lot of their time online and looking to change their way of work and therefore wanting to work remotely and for this reason educating individuals about cyber crime security, frauds, scams that are unfortunately circulating online will be really important in order to protect them.”
Spark said it has partnered with both the Ontario Provincial Police and the Greater Sudbury Police Service on this initiative and is currently putting the curriculum in place.
They plan to launch the program in the new year.
More information about Spark and their upcoming events can be found on their Facebook page.
The other area recipient is Sudbury & Area Victim Services.Sudbury & Area Victim Services will be receiving a total of $110,000 and working with other local organizations will focus on youth education and prevention about human trafficking, online luring and sexual exploitation. (Supplied)The organization will be receiving a total of $110,000 and it will be working with other local organizations.
“So, the Sudbury Women’s Centre, Crime Stoppers and Greater Sudbury Police Services,” Tiffany Pyoli York with Sudbury & Area Victim Services explained to CTV News.
“We’re planning on doing some very specific branding, such as a social campaign as well as creating some online tools in terms of education and prevention around human trafficking, online luring and sexual exploitation.”
Pyoli York said the efforts will be aimed at youth in our community as well as their caregivers. She added that having these prevention skills in place is crucial.
“In our case studies and our statistics youth are targeting as young as the age of 13, it’s the average of age of entry into human trafficking. So, when we look at that statistic we want to look at getting that information out to the kids younger than 13,” said Pyoli York.
Those involved said the goal is to share this information with elementary schools, with the hope of the empowering youth.
More information about Victim Services can be found on their Facebook page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
What a U.S. farmworker’s case of bird flu tells us about tracking the infection
A U.S. farmworker who caught bird flu after working with dairy cattle in Texas appears to be the first known case of mammal-to-human transmission of the virus, a new study shows.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.