NANAIMO — The Water Cooler is NanaimoNewsNOW’s letters to the editor-style segment, featuring conversations about the news in Nanaimo and Oceanside.
This week’s feature deals with multiple questions and comments surrounding social disorder, mental health and addictions challenges throughout Nanaimo.
Amberanne M., Nanaimo: After reading the article about city council spending 2.5 million on hiring a team of bylaw officers to help connect unhoused people with services and stop the disorderly conduct. I have to wonder where will these new officers refer those people? all the service providers are operating beyond full capacity, waiting lists of hundreds to get affordable housing.
We have shelters that have beds for maybe 50-75 people and there are 600 + unhoused? In my opinion that money could have been spent more wisely by providing more housing and outreach teams. What about the Howard Johnson? with some renovations we could house over a hundred people there… just doesn’t make sense.. pushing people out of the downtown core to where??
Wendy J., Errington: Oh Nanaimo..I am proud of your new program for working to keep the streets safe and assist with mental health and drug addiction issues. This program should be in all towns as all towns have the same issues, some worse than others. I must say it is a relief to hear of a city taking charge and finally DOING something. Way to go.
NanaimoNewsNOW: There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding regarding what is the City’s responsibility and what is not. Unfortunately, some of the issues outlined in Amberanne’s letter above are not in the scope of local governments to fix, fund or address.
But local governments must deal with the consequences and repercussions of these challenges.
Nanaimo City Council, and in particular Mayor Leonard Krog, have been very vocal since 2018 on their stance regarding the need for more provincial support to deal with challenges throughout the City.
They got some support in August 2021 through a $2.5 million grant from the province, which has done some good. It’s helped stabilize shower and clean-up programs, added some security elements and provided a variety of temporary housing options.
However, the creation and funding of the Downtown Nanaimo Safety Action Plan is effectively taking those programs a step further under the City’s umbrella, which involves some risk.
The hiring of 12 new Community Safety Officers, in addition to increased funding for RCMP officers out of the local detachments are tangible steps forward. For those who argue “the City does nothing to fix this”, here’s an answer. Whether it’s the answer remains to be seen.
The worry though is setting precedent. If a municipal government starts paying for these services, does that reduce the responsibility of the provincial and federal governments to chip in as well?
It’s very early days for the action plan, with the safety officers due to hit local streets in earnest in the fall. Their effectiveness and the makeup of the following Council will dictate how much pressure continues to be applied on senior levels of government to add to or supplement what the City has committed to.
As for the Howard Johnson, there are some zoning changes potentially coming for the property. It’s currently privately owned, so if it were to be used for Nanaimo’s challenges, it would require a purchase from the City, significant renovations and operational costs.
But again, operating major housing and medical care facilities is not the City’s job.
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Daniela C., Nanaimo: I am just curious. With all of these, as you call them, brazen attacks, on both people and property, why does our system, in this case police, continue to ask for any information so they can catch the perps, but then when they do, they are released?? My question is, why bother? This is such a broken system.
There are no repercussions given to these individuals so they continue to commit crimes. I have not seen any local government solution or program to deal with crime. Our system needs an overhaul starting with our local government. Stop being controlled by a pandering few (socialists) and start listening to the majority of Nanaimo citizens who have had enough of crime/disruption/pollution of shopping carts and debris in every part of our city.
Here are a few ideas, instead of creating luxury prisons, create more space so these individuals can be incarcerated, and those with mental illness, even more so, so they won’t be a danger to others (look at machete man in Vancouver). Make shopping carts illegal on city streets, parks and roadways. I’ve witnessed a number of business people move out of Nanaimo because they have had enough with break ins and other crimes. I wonder how long before the money stops flowing into our city services as more people start leaving what was once a great city.
NanaimoNewsNOW: It’s not a local government’s role to “deal with crime” as Daniela asked. Criminal justice and policing, while obviously impacting local governments, are the responsibility of senior levels. While the City contracts RCMP for policing, they are a national organization.
Local governments can support through bylaw, urban design, zoning and other measures, but the actual enforcement of laws is well outside their jurisdiction. How effective the City of Nanaimo has been in that scope is a matter of opinion.
In almost every crime-related story we publish, someone inevitably comments something to the effect of “oh, I bet the police let them go.”
This apparent ‘catch and release’ from local law enforcement is certainly frustrating for residents and business owners who typically see the same people over and over again offending. Multiple subjects of arrests recently, including related to the arson at a Northfield Rd. Tim Horton’s location, were people with extensive criminal records.
So the question gets asked: why don’t we keep them locked up so they can’t commit more crimes?
Aside from the physical space needed to incarcerate anyone charged with a violent or damaging crime, the Canadian justice system isn’t created that way. People are innocent until proven guilty, with the proof of guilt coming through a guilty plea or decision from a judge.
While exceptions are made for exceptionally violent crimes, or those considered flight risks, a majority of offenders are issued promises to appear and a majority appear as scheduled.
Moreover, the Canadian justice system weighs heavily on efforts to rehabilitate offenders, including people constantly breaking the law. There are success stories in successfully re-integrating people into society, however there are many examples where this isn’t achieved.
We agree there clearly is a strong case to re-examine how chronic re-offenders are handled, which tends to have greater impact in larger urban centres, including Nanaimo.
In May, BC attorney general David Eby revealed two experts would be hired to probe how to deal with prolific offenders. Whatever solutions arise, addressing factors leading to crime, including mental health and substance use, will need to be deeply woven into the equation.
It’s also really important to note, it’s not police who are always catching and releasing. Officers have a finite amount of time to hold someone in custody for most crimes, and in many cases they are released pending charges.
As for Daniela’s recommendations, some hold merit. Several politicians at various levels have advocated for involuntary mental health care facilities, while the idea of additional resources devoted to addiction and mental health is near-universally supported.
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