Crime, violence and street disorder are plaguing B.C. communities.
A community forum is being planned for Sept. 12 in Vancouver in order to find solutions to widespread problems.
“We’re struck every day by the amount of crime and violence going on the streets of B.C., and it’s not just in the major communities, but in communities right throughout the province,” Jess Ketchum, co-founder of Save Our Streets, which is organizing the forum, told Global News. “We see all sorts of problems with our officials, with our governmens dealing with these situations and never seeming to make a lot of headway.”
In response to the situation, Ketchum said, Save Our Street decided to bring together subject matter experts to discuss the issues and explore the experiences of other jurisdictions with local leaders and members of the public.
In June, a brutal and reportedly random homicide in Surrey focused more attention on what critics call B.C.’s “catch-and-release” justice system.
Surrey resident Tori Dunn, 30, was killed in what her family said was a home invasion.
The suspect has a lengthy and violent criminal history and was on probation after being released from custody just days before the homicide.
Meanwhile, a Vancouver business is trying to bring awareness to the plight of downtown shop owners and, after its employees had their belongings stolen from the shop’s locker room, encourage others to increase their security.
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Ketchum said the forum will try to examine the issues around policing reform, the justice system and support for people dealing with mental health and addiction challenges.
“It’s going to take a lot of governments working together rather than pointing fingers to each other, which happens far too often,” he said.
“We’re optimistic that they will actually take action. So at the end of the day, on September the 12th, we hope to have greater consensus of what steps are important to move forward.”
Ketchum said Save Our Streets is inviting government leaders, political party leaders and community leaders to participate in the forum.
He said invitations will go out to members of Save Our Street first, after which the forum will be opened to members of the public.