General Advocacy Issues

BIABC Key Advocacy Priorities 2025

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Public Safety

More must be done to protect business owners, their staff, and the general public. This includes targeted investments to improve community safety, and the implementation of a comprehensive policy framework and investment that shifts the focus solely from harm reduction to include prevention, treatment, and enforcement. A 2024 BIABC survey of businesses found 82% report increased fear and anxiety because of crime, vandalism, and street disorder. Respondents also suggested if conditions don’t change; 39% don’t believe they can remain viable or continue operating successfully past 2 years, and 52% suggest they will only be able to continue for four years.

Repeat Offenders

Businesses are struggling under the threat of violent crime and the weight of repeated retail crime and vandalism, often by persons with multiple charges and/or convictions for similar crimes. The issue requires a review of bail and charge provisions at the Crown level to ensure that accountability is reintroduced into the criminal justice systems. While we respect constitutionally entrenched individual rights, there must be a balance between those rights and the rights of the broader community. BIABC’s latest survey of businesses across BC asked participants to rank their public safety priorities. More than 30% (30.77%) ranked as their number one item, ‘Expanding the Repeat Violent Offender intervention initiative to include non-violent repeat offenders.

Crime

More than typical ‘shoplifting’, there are other significant circumstances of crime that have serious public safety and cost implications. These include increasing circumstances of organized or swarming activities that are occurring outside of a business’ regular operating hours. The level of retail crime on a larger scale occurring during regular business hours is also increasing. Of great concern is how this combination of criminal activities are costing small and medium-sized businesses millions of dollars in losses. It means significant investment in security, gating, and staffing – and of greater concern is how these situations are placing businesses owners, their staff and customers under the threat of violence. There need to be greater implications for offenders. A 2024 BIABC survey of businesses found 82% report increased fear and anxiety because of crime, vandalism, and street disorder. Meantime, BIABC’s latest survey of businesses asked participants to rank their public safety priorities. More than 30% suggested ‘Expanding the Repeat Violent Offender intervention initiative to include non-violent repeat offenders’ was a top priority, followed by, ‘Expanding and improving community policing with the engagement and support of individual communities.’

Social Disruption

BIABC encourages the provincial government to make legislative changes that would allow communities to respond to street level issues without the threat of reprisals from the province. Likewise, provincial funding of resources would facilitate municipal outreach that can be paired with bylaw officers and create a better system of help by responding to street-level issues and connecting individuals with appropriate services and housing. BIABC’s latest survey of businesses across BC asked participants to rank their public safety priorities. 42% ranked as their number one item, ‘identifying and implementing legislative and funding improvements that empower municipalities to enhance community safety actions in our business districts’, followed by ‘Expanding the Repeat Violent Offender intervention initiative to include non-violent repeat offenders’ and ‘Expanding and improving community policing with the engagement and support of individual communities.’

Mental Health & Addictions

BIABC requires a humane response to the complex issues of mental health, addictions, and housing – in the form of concrete policies and targeted investments. BIABC supports the establishment of involuntary care for people whom community-based services aren’t working and recommend a comprehensive plan for youth and adults to create a specific pathway to access for on-demand, wrap around services, and sustained/intensive treatment, regardless of where one lives in the province. We are committed to working with government to engage our membership and provide feedback on outcomes that will benefit our communities. In a 2024 BIABC survey of businesses, 82% of respondents indicated they have experienced increased fear, anxiety and or stress because of increasing street disorder, theft, violence/aggression, mental health and drug-related activity, vandalism, and homelessness. Respondents also suggested if conditions don’t change; 39% don’t believe they can remain viable or continue operating successfully past 2 years, and 52% suggest they will only be able to continue for four years.