Avigilon donates HD surveillance system to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC)

Avigilon’s security surveillance deters and provides clear evidence of safety-related incidents in the vicinity

Avigilon, a leader in high-definition (HD) and megapixel video surveillance solutions, recently announced its donation of a high definition surveillance system to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. The state-of-the-art surveillance products will help to create a safe environment for the Centre’s users by deterring and providing clear evidence of safety-related incidents in the vicinity of their emergency shelter. The DEWC serves over 300 women, children and seniors daily and provides emergency shelter for up to 60 women each night. Located in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada, keeping users safe and maintaining privacy is the Downtown East Side Women’s emergency shelter top priority.

“Many of the women who rely on our shelter are victim to physical abuse and threats of violence,” said Fiona York, fund development coordinator, DEWC. “With the detail provided by the Avigilon system we can monitor our grounds closely and ensure the women who need our facility have a safe place they can go.”

The donation was installed in late 2012 in time to meet the increased need for shelters in the winter months due to decreased temperatures and poor weather conditions. Along with the influx of users, according to Statistics Canada security is a major factor for women’s shelters across Canada, as more than 71 percent of shelter users report physical abuse and threats of violence.

“The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre has provided assistance to thousands of at-risk individuals over the years,” said Alexander Fernandes, president and CEO at Avigilon. “Avigilon was developed in Vancouver and we strive to give back to our community by helping to make the city a safer place for our neighbours in need.”