US EditionWilliams Lake ponders state of local emergency to improve downtown safety
- On May 30, 2025, Williams Lake city council voted 4-3 to pass two motions addressing downtown safety concerns during a debate lasting over an hour.
- The motions followed warnings from a community member and concerns about escalating crime, drug use, and public safety issues downtown, prompting proposed emergency measures.
- The first motion instructs staff to explore the option of officially recognizing a local emergency and to arrange for individuals who are publicly intoxicated or experiencing severe mental health crises to be taken to a hospital for involuntary treatment assessment.
- The second motion requests a report on options with stakeholders and RCMP, including arresting unlawful individuals and escorting unhoused people to shelters, while the proposed curfew was removed due to legal concerns.
- While all council agreed on the need to address downtown crime and drug problems, some warned these measures risk marginalizing vulnerable groups and may violate legal rights, suggesting alternative collaborative approaches.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Williams Lake eyes declaring state of local emergency on safety
Williams Lake city staff will be providing a report to council on the possibility of declaring a state of local emergency for the city, among other measures proposed to address safety concerns in the downtown
Williams Lake considers state of emergency to deal with rising crime, but not nightly curfew #Canadian #Canada #Crime #CanadaCrimes #CanadaNews
The six most common risk factors in the community are suspected, unmanaged mental health concerns, lack of appropriate housing, the inability of residents to have their basic needs met, drug abuse or misuse, financial hardship and residents associating with negative peers the report found. Coun. Scott Nelson, who proposed the motion for the local state of emergency, said change has to happen now. “There is a theme that is out there and that them…
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