Safety coalition membership doubles as B.C. towns and businesses grapple with theft, vandalism
Save Our Streets members are calling on government to take action on crime
Most days, when drivingto work in downtownQuesnel, B.C., Sandra Lewis sees stores with broken windows and streets littered with shards of shattered glass.
Lewis, who is a general manager at an insurance group in the city, says an increase in theft and vandalism has been hindering local businesses.
"Just a lot of smash and grab jobs, people running into businesses, grabbing inventories and running out the door," she said during an interview with CBC's Daybreak North.
"People feel very unsafe and they don't want to come here anymore. It's costing businesses a lot more in damages and repair."
Lewis sits on the board of the Quesnel Downtown Association, which recently joined Save Our Streets (SOS) to advocate for businesses and address public safety concerns.
Coalition's voice getting louder
SOS is a coalition of businesses, community organizations and citizen groups that wasformedin October 2023. In a few months, it has grownfrom 30 members to59, representing communities all across B.C.
"Mostly thefocus always is in the bigger cities,the east side of Vancouver and everything. But it's alsosmaller towns where [crime] isreally affecting us," saidLewis.
Other communities that have joined the coalitionincludeKamloops, Prince George, Campbell River andSechelt.
Jess Ketchum, co-founder of the coalition, said in a statement last week that SOS's membership is quickly expanding to every region in B.C.
"It is definitely not just a Downtown Eastside of Vancouver issue.Our message has hit a nerve as a growing number of British Columbians recognize that a different, comprehensive, and results-driven approach is required to address the escalation of crime and violence in our communities," the statement reads.
Demanding action from government
Gold Silver Guy, a jewelry store located in Duncan and Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, is another new member of SOS.
The store's owner, Jeff Ross, said he had five break-ins last year alone, one of which cost him $82,000 in losses.
"I have [had] 23 break-ins [during] the last 25 years and I have done everything I can to stop such brazen thieves," he said in an interview with CBC's On The Coast.
Ross said he has invested thousands of dollars in security from cameras, gates, motion sensors and metal bars but none of the measures have deterred thieves.
"Two times in [the] last year,theybroke in through the cement wall, broke the cinder blocks with a sledgehammer," he said.
According to SOS,stores across B.C. are facing growing amounts of theft, which has impacted pricesandis costing B.C. taxpayers$500 annually.
TheMinistry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation launched a $10.5-million government programfor small businesses to repair and prevent vandalism damage in the fall of 2023.The program offers up to $2,000 for the cost of repairs, such as replacing broken glass and cleaning up graffiti, and up to $1,000 for prevention measures.
While Ross acknowledges the government's attempt, he says more needs to be done to protect businesses who are losing far more in losses.
The jewelry store owner says he joined the coalition to make the province aware of what businesses are going through.
"In all the 23 break-ins that I have had, only one person has been caught," he added.
Business owners like Ross and Lewis say they want to see more repercussions for perpetrators.
"It's the same people who are committing these crimes and I go through court dockets and I see the same names the same offenders every time," said Lewis.
The federal government's bail reformlegislation Bill C-48became law last week, which willmakeit more difficult for known offenders to be released into communities.
"We are hoping more of such policy changes will come as our voice gets louder," said Lewis.
With files from Janella Hamilton, Daybreak North, On The Coast
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