AUTHORIZING THE USE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICERS AS PART OF A TIERED RESPONSE (2026)

Issue

Escalating street disorder – including loitering, public drug use, vandalism, property damage, mischief, fires, break-ins, and declining perceptions of safety – is imposing significant and growing costs on businesses across British Columbia. Understaffed police detachments and limitations in bylaw enforcement authority have left local governments with insufficient tools to address low- to moderate-risk public safety concerns efficiently.  A clear, principle-based amendment to the British Columbia Police Act to enable a tiered response model — applicable across both municipal police and RCMP-policed communities — would provide a more cost-effective and responsive approach while maintaining public safety standards.     

Background

Across British Columbia, businesses are absorbing increasing direct and indirect costs associated with street disorder. These costs include:

• Increased private security contracts.
• Installation and maintenance of surveillance systems.
• Repair of vandalism and graffiti.
• Replacement of stolen merchandise.
• Insurance premium increases.
• Staff time spent managing disorder-related incidents.
• Lost customer traffic due to safety perceptions.

A recent survey by the Business Improvement Association of British Columbia found that rising vandalism, theft, street disorder, and related public-safety issues are pushing many B.C. small businesses toward the brink of closure.[1] Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported increased street disorder over the past year, including drug- and mental-health-related activity, theft, broken windows, violence, and aggression — conditions that have increased fear and anxiety among staff and customers and driven up operating costs. About one in five business owners said they may not remain financially viable beyond next year if conditions do not improve, while over half reported reduced foot traffic and 61 per cent cited higher expenses due to crime and vandalism, illustrating how public-safety issues are directly undermining business confidence, profitability, and long-term sustainability.

In B.C., Bylaw Enforcement Officers (BEOs) are recognized as peace officers under Section 2 of the Criminal Code of Canada when acting within the course of their duties.[2] This status has been upheld in court decisions.[3] However, the scope of their authority remains limited relative to the public safety challenges facing municipalities.

As a result, local governments increasingly rely on an inconsistent mix of police, BEOs, business improvement associations, and social service outreach. Many incidents fall below the criminal threshold requiring police intervention yet exceed the current enforcement authority of BEOs. Implementation considerations will differ between municipalities served by local police forces and those policed by the RCMP; however, the need for a flexible, scalable tiered response model is consistent across both contexts.

Rising policing costs and structural strain

The cost of policing in Canada has risen significantly over the past two decades, outpacing inflation, even as overall crime rates have declined.[4] Municipal governments face mounting pressure to expand police budgets, yet small and mid-sized communities often lack the fiscal capacity to fund significant increases in sworn officers. Without alternative response models, continued reliance on traditional policing alone will place additional financial pressure on municipalities, with downstream impacts on local businesses through taxation and operating costs.

Structurally, when police resources are diverted to low-risk regulatory or public nuisance calls, response times for serious incidents are impacted. This creates further risk for businesses already facing increased exposure to theft, vandalism, and fire-related damage.

Provincial models demonstrate economic efficiency

Alberta has implemented a Community Peace Officer model that allows trained personnel to enforce municipal bylaws and select provincial legislation without requiring full police authority.[5] Saskatchewan’s Community Safety Officer (CSO) program similarly provides targeted enforcement support, freeing police resources for high-priority criminal matters.[6]

These tiered models:

• Reduce policing overtime costs.
• Provide faster response to quality-of-life and regulatory issues.
• Improve visible enforcement presence in commercial areas.
• Lower overall public safety delivery costs.

The Licence Inspectors’ and Bylaw Officers’ Association of British Columbia (LIBOA) has formally recommended amendments to the B.C. Police Act to enable a comparable model.[7]

Economic impact of inaction

Without reform, businesses will continue absorbing:

• Escalating private security costs.
• Insurance premium increases tied to property crime.
• Reduced commercial tenancy attractiveness.
• Lower retail and hospitality revenues due to safety perceptions.
• Increased fire risk from street encampments and disorder-related incidents.

These costs are particularly burdensome for small and medium-sized enterprises that lack the financial buffer to absorb sustained operating increases.

Public safety is not solely a social issue, it is a direct and growing threat to the ability of businesses to operate, invest, expand, and remain financially sustainable.

The Chamber Recommends 

That the Provincial Government:

1. Amend the British Columbia Police Act to authorize a principle-based, tiered public safety model allowing local and Indigenous governments to designate Community Safety Officers (or equivalent roles) with appropriate authority such as Special Constable status to address low- to moderate-risk public safety issues, in coordination with existing police services.
2. Establish provincial standards for the training, oversight, accountability, and scope of authority for Community Safety Officers, ensuring the framework is adaptable to both municipal police and RCMP-policed communities, recognizing differences in governance and service delivery models.
3. Provide local and Indigenous governments with the autonomy to determine if Community Safety Officers with special constable status are appropriate for their communities.
4. Enable local and Indigenous governments the ability to deploy Community Safety Officers with Special Constable status in commercial districts to address street disorder, regulatory compliance, and nuisance-related incidents that negatively impact business operations.