B.C.’s expanded chronic offender initiative welcomed but concerns raised – Okanagan

A new provincial initiative aimed at reducing repeat property crime and social disorder is drawing cautious support in Kelowna, B.C., but local business leaders and prosecutors say more resources are needed to make it effective.

Called the ‘Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative’ (C-POII), it will establish a dozen regional hubs across British Columbia, including one in Kelowna.

The hubs will monitor up to 420 high-risk individuals and connect them with services such as housing, mental health supports and addiction treatment.

“This approach ensures that the people who pose the greatest risk are held accountable while also addressing the underlying factors that led them to a life of crime,” Nina Krieger
B.C. public safety minister and solicitor general said when announcing the $16 million program on Monday.

While welcoming the measures, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce expressed disappointment an involuntary care facility wasn’t included.

“The city has been advocating for a facility that’s currently underutilized in Osoyoos for involuntary treatment and long-term care…having these people in these facilities is helping them. It’s compassionate care,” said George Greenwood, the chamber’s CEO.  “The treatment that is available, it’s not working, because people just get in and out.”

The chamber is also disappointed that Monday’s announcement didn’t provide relief from the upcoming PST expansion forcing businesses to pay tax on private security services.

“They’re taxing us on ways that we’re utilizing to protect our staff, our customers, and our business,” Greenwood said. “It’s a contradiction, to be honest.”

The Ministry of Finance  stated while it understands the concerns raised by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and recognizes the significant pressures that crime and vandalism have placed on businesses, it said that the PST expansion, “better reflects today’s economy, aligns more closely with other provinces, and supports stable, sustainable funding for the core services people and businesses rely on such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.”

The B.C. Crown Counsel Association is also concerned, saying prosecutors, which will be part of the hub system, are already in short supply in the region — including Kelowna, where it says five to seven more are needed.

Despite adding three positions for the program across the Southern Interior, the association said it will add pressure to an already stretched system.

“We’re really concerned about resourcing  and we’re really concerned about this,” said Andrew Duncan, an association director. “There is a discrepancy between what Victoria is doing and what’s actually happening in our region.”

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