Survey finds majority of British Columbians feel crime has risen, despite stats

A new survey by Save Our Streets (SOS) suggests residents across the province don’t feel safe in their own communities.

SOS formed last October as a coalition of big-name retailers, business groups, and community associations who believe street crime and violence have reached a crisis point in B.C.

The poll, conducted on SOS’ behalf by Research Co., sampled 1,200 British Columbians from Sept. 9 to 12, asking about the level of criminal activity where they live.

Fifty-five per cent of respondents claimed that crime has increased in their community in the past four years.

Almost three in four said crime is impacting their quality of life.

Though violent crime spiked sharply in 2019 — and hasn’t changed much since then — Statistics Canada data shows the overall per capita crime rate, based on police reports, is down in B.C. by about 3 per cent since 2018.

Martin Andresen, professor at Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology, tells The Canadian Press that while many people — himself included — are seeing evidence of “in-your-face” public disorder, official statistics do not back up claims that crime and public disorder are worsening overall.

He noted that while there have been a number of high-profile crimes in B.C. in the past year, people should consider how these incidents are portrayed in the media and public discourse and also look at hard numbers.

“I see it myself when I walk down the street,” Andresen said. “There are a lot more people out. … We seem to have a lot of people who are desperate, and there’s more panhandling everywhere I go. Violence appears to be, at least, a lot more in-your-face.

Speaking to the press in downtown Vancouver Tuesday, SOS’ cofounder and COO and president of London Drugs, Clint Malhman, says British Columbians want new approaches to address addiction, public safety, and retail crime.

The survey’s purpose, he says, was to get the attention of leaders from all levels of government, but especially provincial candidates ahead of the Oct. 19 election.

“So we want this number, these numbers, and this data to help governments, whether they be federal, provincial, or municipal… they have the support of the citizens of British Columbia to take action now,” said Malhman.

He said he wants the candidates to focus on “what’s right, not who’s right.”

Sixty-one per cent of respondents to SOS’ poll said they have confidence in the police to properly deal with crime and public safety in their community, followed by the provincial government with just 45 per cent, their municipal government at 43 per cent, the justice system with 38 per cent, and federal government holding last with 36 per cent.

Crime and public safety have also been one of the B.C. Conservatives’ talking points, include promising to increase funding to police, applying “zero tolerance” for violent repeat offenders, and appointing judges that prioritize victims’ rights.

Andresen said such tough measures or boosting police resources are unlikely to yield results.

He said solutions need to be based on the opinions of health experts. Housing and support programs are the first key steps, Andresen said.

“Locking up people for longer isn’t going to solve the problem,” he said. “What’s being described in a lot of these policies is criminalizing poverty, criminalizing marginalized populations. And that’s not the solution to our problem.”

—With files from Raynaldo Suarez.