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KELOWNA – Premier Gordon Campbell today announced a comprehensive strategy to enhance community policing, crime prevention and public safety, including the return to communities of 100 per cent of all net traffic fine revenues generated within municipal boundaries.
“We committed to return 75 per cent of net traffic fine revenues generated within municipal boundaries to municipalities within our first term,” Campbell said. “Currently, municipalities receive $10 million year. We will increase funding starting this year to 100 per cent, or about $40 million a year. That’s more money for community policing, crime prevention and safer streets.”
The revenue comes from ticket fines and court-imposed fines on violation tickets. The total annual funding to municipalities will rise to approximately $40 million, based on traffic fine payments in 2002/2003. Policing costs from 2002 are the basis on which funding is distributed. The amount of money a particular municipality receives will be based on its share of total municipal policing costs. Those who spend more on policing will receive more funds.
Delegates at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention this week voted overwhelming for new tools to protect British Columbians from undue harassment and threatening behaviour, including giving police new tools to make streets safer.
Campbell said the revenues for municipalities are part of a comprehensive strategy that will also include the introduction of a new Safe Streets Act and Trespass Act this fall, building on the work done by Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt.
“We’ll do more to improve shelter options for people in need of housing, and more to improve drug and alcohol treatment programs to help those who want to break out of the cycle of dependency, dysfunction and despair that addictions create,” Campbell said.
To that end, the Premier has asked Mayors Larry Campbell of Vancouver, Alan Lowe of Victoria, Colin Kinsley of Prince George, Walter Gray of Kelowna and Doug McCallum of Surrey to work with himself, Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services Murray Coell, Minister of Human Resources Susan Brice and Minister of State for Mental Health and Addiction Services Brenda Locke, to establish the framework for an integrated program to tackle the challenge of mental illness, homelessness and addictions in B.C. communities.
“We can care for those in need and make our streets safer,” Campbell said. “People need clean, safe rooms, treatment for illness, counselling, training and jobs. To provide those things, we need a strong economy and a strong fiscal foundation – and B.C. now has both.”
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