We return 100 per cent of all
traffic fine revenue
to B.C. municipalities providing $210 million in new revenue that they can put into local crime prevention and policing.
Since 2002, we’ve added more than 1,100 additional police officers across B.C., including 168 more police officers dedicated to fighting organized crime and gang violence.
We created the first dedicated Transit police force in Canada, currently consisting of 130 armed officers on
SkyTrain
who have full police powers.
The Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team and B.C.’s
bait car program
is the largest program of its kind in North America.
Our Uniformed Gang Task Force is one of the largest street-level gang task forces ever created in B.C.
We created the hugely successful Civil Forfeiture law penalizing those who profit from crime. Nearly $5.25 million has been obtained from the sale of seized assets. Only two provinces have this law.
We fund 156
victim service programs
across the province to provide information, referrals, emotional support and practical assistance to victims of crime.
We’ve implemented some of Canada’s toughest laws and some of the most comprehensive measures to deal with dangerous driving repeat offenders.
Committed $100 million over 10 years for the BC Flood Protection Program to provide long-term solutions for flood protection.
911 Services
We are developing regional 911 centres to ensure that all British Columbians have access to the best technology and skilled 911 operators regardless of where they live.
The 911 system handles millions of calls across the province. Between 2002 and 2007, the total number of 911 calls for Metro Vancouver, Sunshine Coast Regional District and Whistler averaged 1.2 million a year and 96 per cent were answered in less than five seconds.
B.C.’s 911 system meets the generally accepted North American standard of 90 per cent of all calls being answered within 10 seconds.
We have expanded 911 coverage to all areas of the province except for the most-remote small communities (85 per cent of the province is now covered).
We have overseen the introduction of many advances in the communications technology to increase the efficiency and flexibility of the entire 911 system.
These advances now allow for the reassignment of personnel when there is a sudden increase in call demand.
We brought Amber Alert, an internationally recognized system that helps find abducted children, to B.C. in 2004.
Consumer Protection
We’ve put in place a consumer protection model that promotes a fair marketplace for consumers and businesses and is sufficiently flexible to deal with emerging trends and practices.
We passed the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act to better protect consumers by consolidating existing regulations, standardizing contract terms, clarifying cancellation rights, and ensuring that penalties for infractions are applied consistently across industries.
We established the
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority,
a non-profit, independent authority operating on a cost-recovery basis. In 2007 they generated $4.2 million in revenue from licensing and fines.
The Authority is responsible for licensing, inspections, investigations and enforcement of industries such as debt collection, credit reporting agencies, telemarketers, travel agencies, and funeral homes.
We created the
Motor Vehicle Sales Authority
to regulate and license the 1,700 motor dealers and 7,000 salespeople in B.C.
We passed
new gift card legislation
that includes the prohibition of expiry dates and fees, except in limited circumstances.
Payday lenders will now require a licence and fall under the new Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority.
We’re the first province in Canada to license home inspectors to better protect buyers and ensure qualified inspections.
The Business Practices & Consumer Protection Authority will oversee the home inspector licensing process, receive and investigate complaints, and monitor compliance.
We brought back the quasi-judicial B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) which, among other things and through an open regulatory review process, ensures rates and service delivery for BC Hydro and ICBC customers are fair and reasonable.
We established the
BC Ferry Commission
in 2003, to regulate fares and service levels of BC Ferry Services on 25 saltwater routes. The Commission is independent of both government and BC Ferries and is obliged to protect the public interest.
Coroners Service
We believe in investigating and learning from every unexpected death so that we can prevent similar deaths in the future.
We increased the
Coroner’s Service
budget by $13 million to enhance capacity and to reduce backlog.
The Coroner’s Service investigated 7,474 deaths and conducted 27 inquests in 2007, more than any previous year.
We brought in legislation to modernize the 30 year-old Coroner’s Act with a goal to enhance transparency and accountability to the public.
Changes to the Act included:
Clarifying the process a coroner follows once a death is reported.
Granting authority to compel witness testimony without holding an inquest.
Granting authority for a coroner to control an inquest in a manner consistent with powers given to other government bodies holding public inquiries.
Allowing the coroner to investigate a death that occurred outside of B.C., but where the events causing the death took place in B.C.
We’ve strengthened the coroner’s process so juries can produce specific and more workable recommendations.
A number of historical cases have recently been concluded and an inquest committee has been struck to decide which discretionary cases will proceed to inquest.
We’ve set a goal of going to inquest within one year of the death whenever possible.
We established the Child Death Review Unit within the Coroner’s Service, which reviews the deaths of all children under age 18.
Corrections Services
We’re investing in the new and expanded correctional facilities necessary to support effective policing and tougher enforcement.
We have an aggressive $185 million capital program to meet the growing need for additional corrections capacity across the province over the next four years, including:
180 cells at Lower Mainland Pre-trial Centre – building a new, maximum security jail in the Lower Mainland, detaining up to 360 inmates awaiting trials
We’ve provided $63 million to enhance safety within correctional centres and provide accommodation and specialized resources to help re-integrate Aboriginal offenders into their communities.
We hired 249 new correctional officers in 2007 and will be hiring 93 more to staff the expansion of facilities.
We changed the training policy so that the full cost of training is paid by Government with no costs to recruits.
We amended the Corrections Act to help stem the flow of dangerous contraband into B.C. correctional facilities by making it an offence to give or receive drugs or alcohol from an inmate.
Flood Protection
We’ve created a dependable funding program that supports local governments to identify and manage flood risks in their community.
We’ve committed $100 million over 10 years for the B.C. Flood Protection Program to provide long-term solutions for flood protection in communities across B.C.
In the first year of the Flood Protection Program, we fully funded 40 flood protection projects with a total value of approximately $10 million.
We spent a further $33 million on 88 urgent flood protection projects across B.C. in spring 2007, the most money ever allocated for flood protection in a single year in B.C.
Provided another $1.1 million in spring 2007 for 9.5 kilometres of re-useable gabion diking, an innovative quick-diking system in a number of communities.
We doubled the funding for water level monitoring to better identify risk areas in advance and provide lead time to mitigate impacts.
We have about 4 million sandbags and 6 sandbag machines each capable of producing approximately 100,000 sandbags a day, ready for distribution to local governments as needed.
After 10 years of NDP neglect, we’re using sound science to remove built-up gravel in the Fraser River to reduce flood-risk.
Gaming
We believe a carefully managed and regulated gaming industry benefits British Columbians by funding hospitals, schools and charities.
The gaming sector provides 16,400 direct and 9,700 indirect jobs.
Gaming currently contributes
$2.4 billion
annually to B.C.’s economy.
About $1 billion in net gaming revenues come to the province and over $250 million of that is distributed to communities, while the rest supports health care, education and other priorities.
B.C. has 17 casinos, 11 community gaming centres, 16 bingo halls, 23 stand-alone teletheatres (not located in gaming facilities) and six racetracks
The most recent national comparison (Canadian Gambling Digest April 2008) found:
Per capita spending on gaming in B.C. in 2006/07 was $543, significantly less than Alberta ($860), Saskatchewan ($728), Manitoba ($705) and below the Canadian average ($549).
B.C. has the fewest number of electronic gaming machines per capita at 228 machines per 100,000 adults, well below the Canadian average of 517 per 100,000
B.C. has the fewest number of venues with electronic gaming machines, 22 compared to 2,912 in Quebec and 1,082 in Alberta.
We increased the
Problem Gambling Program
budget from $4 million to $7 million. Services include a 24-hour toll free Help Line (1-888-795-6111), professional clinical counsellors as well as awareness materials and a website.
A Deloitte & Touche report into lotto integrity in B.C. found that BCLC and the province made significant progress to ensure public trust and confidence in the lottery system.
The BC Liberal party constitution stipulates that we do not accept donations from gaming corporations, unlike the NDP.
From 1997 to 2007, the NDP accepted $14,875 from identifiable gaming companies such as Great Canadian Casino, Gateway Casino and Good Time Bingo Hall.
Gang Violence & Organized Crime
We believe in focusing resources on hiring police and integrating police services because every citizen should be safe from gang violence and organized crime activities in their neighbourhoods.
More police officers – we’re adding an additional 168 police officers dedicated to fighting gang violence across B.C., including new 16 member anti-gang units in Prince George and Kelowna.
More prosecutors – we’re adding 10 prosecutors dedicated to work with police and prosecute gangs. Combined with 16 existing dedicated Crown prosecutors, there are 26 prosecutors dedicated to fighting gang and gun crimes – that’s on top of 49 currently working on organized crime cases.
More jails and secure courts – we’re investing $185 million to build 304 more jail cells able to hold 600-plus offenders, and we’re working with court services to ensure full use is made of secure courtrooms in Vancouver, New Westminster and Surrey to prosecute violent, gang offenders.
Tougher laws – We’re continuing our vigorous pursuit of changes to federal law to give prosecutors more power to keep criminals off the street, tighter bail restrictions, eliminating 2-for-1 credit for time served while awaiting trial, modernizing wiretap rules and simplifying evidence disclosure requirements to expedite prosecution.
Crackdown on illegal guns – We will take steps to assume responsibility over the federal firearms program in British Columbia and create a 10-member “weapons enforcement unit” dedicated to seizing illegal firearms.
Outlaw armoured vehicles and body armour – We will work to outlaw modified, armoured vehicles and put in place licensing for the sale and purchase of body armour, including criminal record checks.
New gang hotline and rewards program – We will establish a new hotline and a new escalating rewards program for anonymous tips leading to the arrest and conviction of gang members.
There are more integrated and joint forces operations per capita in BC than anywhere else in Canada.
We return 100 per cent of all traffic fine revenue to municipalities, providing $210 million in new revenue that they can put into local crime prevention. We have further provided an additional $63 million this year in advance payments of these revenues to allow for one-time or immediate investments in public safety.
Since 2002, we’ve added over 1,100 additional police officers across B.C.
We invest $66 million a year providing 600 provincial and municipal police officers on 10 major integrated teams including: Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit; Organized Crime Agency; Integrated Gang Task Force; Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Unit.
In November 2007 we created the Uniformed Gang Task Force, which patrols gang activity at the street level. The Task Force has made 124 charges, 39 firearm seizures, 4 armoured car seizures and 6 seizures of body armour in the last year.
We invested $40 million in
PRIME,
a data management system used to identify and target criminal organizations.
We created the successful Civil Forfeiture law that penalizes those profiting from crime, and $5.25 million has been obtained from the sale of seized assets. We’re one of only two provinces with this law.
Civil Forfeiture proceeds are returned to victims of crime and reinvested in victim services and crime reduction strategies - $1.3 million returned to date.
In 2006 we launched a four-year, $2-million provincial strategy to prevent youth gang violence through education, law enforcement, and youth and community partners and have added a further $1 million to continue the strategy in 2009 - this includes the Youth Against Violence Line (1-800-680-4264).
Impaired Driving & Road Safety
We’ve brought in public education, laws and enforcement to make our roads safer and ensure that repeat offenders are dealt with quickly and severely.
We’ve implemented some of Canada’s toughest laws and some of the most comprehensive measures to deal with repeat dangerous driving offenders.
Police can now impound vehicles for 60 days for driving while prohibited or suspended. Get caught again and the impoundment increases to 90 days and the minimum fine goes up to $500.
ICBC can now refuse to issue a driver’s license when there are outstanding fines for offences committed under the Liquor Control & Licensing Act.
When courts impose a bail condition banning driving, a drinking driver’s license is immediately suspended.
Drivers convicted of drinking and driving will have to complete a user-pay education program before they can drive again.
We introduced the ignition interlock program in 2005 and expanded it in 2008. People convicted of drinking and driving charges are now required to have interlock devices installed in their vehicles that prevent it from operating if the driver has been drinking.
Our civil forfeiture law allows vehicles to be forfeited and sold if a civil court rules unlawful activity, e.g. impaired driving or street racing that could have caused serious injury or death.
Following on the success of “Air 1”, which contributed to nearly 1,300 arrests, including 54 for impaired driving, we’ve launched “Air 2”, our second crime-fighting helicopter.
We brought in tough anti-street-racing laws six years ago, and since then we’ve issued 689 15-day roadside prohibitions and impounded 540 vehicles for street racing.
Police can now impound vehicles for 48 hours on a first racing incident and drivers caught racing again can have their vehicle impounded for 30 days and face a driving prohibition.
We directed ICBC to target dangerous drivers, including impaired drivers, with higher insurance premiums that reflect their reckless driving habits.
We enacted changes to the Motor Vehicle Act regulations bringing in tougher penalties and stiffer fines for failing to wear seatbelts.
We’ve enhanced child vehicle safety by making booster seats mandatory for all children over 40lbs until they are 4’9” tall or age nine.
We are enhancing our intersection safety camera program by deploying state-of-the-art red-light cameras at 140 of B.C.’s most crash- and casualty-prone intersections to save lives and reduce serious injuries.
Policing
We have focused resources on hiring more police officers and integrating police services because every citizen should be safe in their community.
We’ve increased our annual provincial policing budget by over $128 million since 2001 - an 89 per cent increase.
We’ve put more than 1,100 additional police officers on the street since 2002.
We invest $66 million a year in 10 major integrated units to solve major crimes, meaning we have more integrated units and joint operations per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
The major integrated units investigate crimes such as homicides and illegal gaming; criminal organizations and gangs; Internet luring and identity theft; sexual predators; and, provide a rapid, integrated response with the Emergency Response Team.
We return 100 per cent of all
traffic fine revenue
to municipalities worth $210 million in new dollars since 2004. We have further provided an additional $63 million this year in advance payments of these revenues to allow for one-time or immediate investments in public safety. Revenues to date have assisted in hiring 450 officers.
We created the first dedicated Transit police force in Canada, currently consisting of 130 armed officers on SkyTrain who have full police powers.
The Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team and B.C.’s bait car program is the largest program of its kind in North America.
Since its inception in 2005, the bait car program has had a tremendous impact on auto crime. Auto thefts have dropped by 38 per cent, that’s equal to 10,000 fewer stolen vehicles.
We’re continuing to work with local governments to ensure their policing model is best suited to meet the policing needs of their community.
If local governments express a clear consensus on a desire to amalgamate, we will work with them to achieve their goal.
We’ve strengthened accountability and transparency in the municipal police complaints process by introducing amendments to the Police Act to give greater oversight powers to the independent Police Complaints Commissioner.
Tasers (CEDs)
We believe Tasers need to be used appropriately and only when other options are not working because police should have the tools they need to carry out their job safely.
We acted fast in calling a public inquiry (Braidwood Inquiry) with respect to Robert Dziekanski’s tragic death in October 2007 to determine what happened and how Taser-use policy can be improved.
Phase 1 of the Braidwood Inquiry examines the issue of Taser use in B.C. and reports out in Spring 2009; we are carefully considering all the recommendations.
We adopted the recommendations from a 2005 report on Taser use compiled by the Victoria Police Department for the government. Following the report, we directed police in B.C. to implement all of its recommendations, which included mandatory reporting of all Taser use.
The use of Taser reports reveal that in about one in five of the cases, suicide was an issue, and in almost half the cases, the person was suffering from mental illness or was armed. Violence was the common thread linking them all.
Following the federal RCMP Public Complaints Commissioner’s interim report in Dec 2007 into the RCMP’s use of Tasers, we directed police to work towards implementation of the recommendations including limiting the use of Tasers to situations where no effective alternatives exist.
We’re undertaking a number of initiatives designed to give the province more centralized control over important police policy areas to achieve the over-arching goal of improving accountability including:
Overhauling policing standards, audit and inspection processes
Reviewing police training with a significant focus on use of force training
Improving how we address use of force issues including establishing a use of force coordinator at the Justice Institute and appointing a civilian within the Ministry dedicated to use of force issues and to provide research and policy advice
Improving use of force data collection methods
We had municipal police forces pull Tasers acquired before Jan 1, 2006 from service to ensure they’re operating to specifications.
Victims Services
We’ve supported victims of crime through a provincewide network of programs because crime often has a devastating impact on its victims and their families.
We fund 156
victim service programs
across B.C. to provide information, referrals, emotional support and practical assistance to victims of crime.
We put $43 million towards victims in 2008/09, up 37 per cent over 2002 – this goes to frontline community-based victim services and the Crime Victim Assistance Program.
Budget 2009 proposes to increase funding for the Crime Victim Assistance Program by $11 million for the next three years ($3.5 million a year).
Victim services programs helped approximately 130,000 people and their families in 2006/07 and victim service workers and volunteers dedicated over 475,000 hours of service.
We introduced the Crime Victim Assistance Program, providing centralized assistance to victims and focuses on ensuring faster access to improved support services, such as funeral expenses, bereavement leave, income support and counselling.
We broadened income support benefits to include family members who were financially dependent on victims and we are the only province in Canada to provide such benefits.
We further expanded access to benefits to include immediate family members of injured victims, e.g. parents of a child sexual assault victim are now able to receive counseling.
We created VictimLink, a free, multilingual crisis line for victims of family or sexual violence and other crimes, giving victims access to help 24/7 (1-800-563-0808); nearly 10,000 British Columbians accessed VictimLink in 2007.
