The Safe Streets Program is a community public safety initiative designed to help promote public safety, foster and maintain a safe downtown environment, deter unlawful behavior, aid emergency responders, and provide support for police investigations. Monitoring is solely for safety and security purposes.

The program is led by the Town of Fort Frances and the Ontario Provincial Police - Rainy River District (Northwest Region), in partnership with the Fort Frances Power Corporation, and with financial support from the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s Ontario CCTV Grant Program.

In August of 2021, Council of the Town of Fort Frances approved the implementation of a "Fort Frances Downtown Core Video Surveillance Upgrade" project, now the Safe Streets Program, which:

  • Replaced existing cameras at the Fort Frances Museum, Rainy Lake Square, and Fire Hall
  • Installed new cameras in the downtown core of Fort Frances along target routes identified by the OPP
  • Installed network equipment to facilitate recording
  • Created secure access to video surveillance records for OPP use

The OPP uses video surveillance to combat gun and gang activity, investigate drug offences, and mitigate crimes against vulnerable individuals in Fort Frances. Enhanced coverage, quality, retention, and availability of video surveillance provided by the Safe Streets Program aids in:

  • Decreasing violent crime and gun and gang activity
  • Decreasing the time needed and costs incurred in identifying suspects and witnesses
  • Increasing the use of video surveillance to enhance and support OPP investigations
  • Increasing criminal charges and court convictions
  • Increasing overall community safety and well-being

Learn more about the Safe Streets Program through the links below.