The Quebec government has added its support and money to Montreal's new Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence.
The downtown centre has been open since March, but was officially launched Sunday with a $1 million contribution from the province.
The centre says it has received hundreds of calls since it opened, but has only referred eight of those to police. The centre said that that proves its methods of careful observation and working with family members are working, so there is no need to go to police of most cases.
One of the tools put out by the centre is a behaviour barometer chart available on the centre's website.
The centre is asking for the public to be aware and call the centre at 514-687-7141 or 1-877-687-7141 with any questions about a friend or relative.
Mayor Denis Coderre said it's a way to carefully document and intervene without necessarily going to the police.
“You're watching the news and you see your son your daughter living something and totally disconnected from the world and you have the instinct that something's wrong's, something is going on, what are you going to do about it? Now you have a centre, You have a phone call,” he said.
Public Security Minister Pierre Moreau said the centre's info could be crucial to protecting the public.
“CSIS, RCMP, Surete du Quebec, the police force here in Montreal and everywhere on the territory are open to transfer any information that would lead to prevention or that would bring us to the idea that we have to change the security level,” he said.
Moreau added there is no need to change the threat level at this time
