Alberta funds program helping homeless victims of crime

The province of Alberta is doubling its commitment to make the streets of Edmonton safer for the homeless.

The province announced the second round of funding$150,000 this year, upfrom $75,000towards an inner-city program run by two agencies that seek to help the homeless.

Curtis McDonald knows firsthand how dangerous a night on the streets can be. A long scar below his Adams apple remains after he was attacked.

"[I was] sliced in the neck, stabbed in the arm," he said. "I was just waiting in the line-up, minding my own business."

The Bissell Centre and Boyle Street Community Services developed the program last year that provides help to marginalized victims of crime at street level . Its the first of its kind in Canada.

"That's a community that's disproportionately affected by crime, disproportionately a victim of crime," said Julian Daly, with the Boyle Street Community Centre.

The program has assisted more than 200 victims since it started a year ago by finding medical help and providing monetary and literacy training.

The programs goal this year is to help another 300 people.