Summary

The Québec women’s urban safety development program (le programme du Développement québécois de la sécurité des femmes en milieu urbain) called «Aux portes des cités sûres» was launched during the «J’accuse la peur» conference in Montréal in 1992. A committee of representatives of the municipality, outreach workers from women's groups, and community organizations conducted a major event which sought to raise public awareness of women’s experiences and feelings of insecurity in the city of Rimouski. This campaign also intended to develop concrete and ongoing measures to address these problems. In 1994, Rimouski's municipal council officially created the permanent committee on women's urban safety (le comité permanent de la sécurité des femmes en milieu urbain). In 1997, a safety walk was used to identify dangerous places in the city and recommendations made to the municipal council following the walk have lead to improvements.

In 1998, the committee launched a training program for taxi drivers in order to make them more sensitive to women's safety issues in public spaces. The program taught drivers ways to respond in the event of an incident concerning women's safety and informed them of resources available in case of assault or other difficulties. «SécuriTaxi» allows women to call accredited drivers who are trained to watch out for their safety.

The committee also launched a training program with similar objectives for guards in public parks. The program could also be adapted and offered to guard staff at public swimming pools.