Latest news with #Yung
National Observer
10-07-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
Report says BC events should get risk review, in wake of festival tragedy
Terry Yung says that when he attends Vancouver's Chinatown Festival this weekend, he'll enjoy himself knowing that the work has been done to make him and other attendees feel safe. British Columbia's minister of state for community safety said pursuing that sense of security was "the foundation" of a report he released Wednesday making six recommendations on improving safety for community events in the wake of the April 26 attack on Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival, that killed 11 people and injured dozens more. Yung said the point of the report was "not to look at one moment in time in the past which we cannot change." "I can't speculate what could or could have happened but what we can do in future to make us all safer," he said. The report by former BC Supreme Court chief justice Christopher Hinkson recommends that all public events, regardless of size, should be supported by a risk assessment, and that a provincial events hub be developed for sharing information and advice. It also recommends inter-agency co-ordination and more accessible education and planning resources. Hinkson was appointed in the days after the festival attack by Premier David Eby to "maximize safety," while remembering that people still wanted to be able to get together and celebrate. Yung said the government fully accepted the intent of the recommendations, but didn't say when they would be implemented. "We'll move on this as fast as we can," he said. "It's important to understand, in light of the tragic event, and (it's) easy to be overwhelmed by emotions … the report said the vast majority of public events in this province are safe, they're well organized and they're widely enjoyed." While some events have access to professional support, the report says many celebrations rely on volunteers with little training or funding, and rather than impose rigid rules, the report says steps need to be taken for consistency and confidence in hosting gatherings. Adam Kai-Ji Lo has been charged with multiple counts of second-degree murder over the Lapu Lapu festival attack, in which a vehicle sped through a crowded street, and his next court appearance for a fitness hearing is on July 23. The City of Vancouver and police issued a preliminary report in May, saying planning for the festival appeared to have followed prescribed processes despite not having heavy vehicle barriers in place. It said police did not recommend higher security and the 2024 festival was deemed a low risk, while police had said previously that only nine of the 3,200 events in Vancouver used heavy vehicle barriers. Hinkson's report says Vancouver and Surrey have developed sophisticated permitting for special events, alongside comprehensive planning protocols. "While this system is more elaborate than what might be required in smaller or rural communities, it may offer valuable considerations for other jurisdictions seeking to improve their event safety planning." Hinkson's report says hostile vehicle attacks aren't the only risk, noting safety concerns over food and water adulteration, and pointing to a music festival in France where 145 people reported being pricked by syringes in January. The report says there's "a trade-off between ensuring that event attendees are protected from hostile or unintentional vehicle incidents while at the same time allowing special events to continue unabated.' In the report, Hinkson says he consulted with municipalities, regional districts, Indigenous groups, police, and event organizers, representing a wide range of communities — from large urban centres to remote rural regions. The report says their consultations found both strengths and vulnerabilities. "Many communities have built strong working relationships between local governments, first responders, and community organizations to support safe and successful events," the report says. However, smaller or under-resourced jurisdictions face persistent challenges, including limited staff, rising costs for equipment and security, unclear lines of responsibility, and difficulty navigating overlapping jurisdictions or fragmented guidance, it says. The Union of BC Municipalities said in a statement in June that it provided a submission to the commission asking it to avoid a one-size-fits all framework, since many local governments, especially the smaller ones, struggled with numerous responsibilities and costs could force event cancellations. Here is a summary for the six recommendations: Risk assessments and event planning: All public events in British Columbia, regardless of size, should be supported by a risk assessment. A comprehensive risk assessment should consider the event's scale, location, activities, and potential hazards, including risks to specific groups and environmental factors. Clarifying jurisdictional roles in event oversight: The province should establish clear criteria for consultation that defines the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in event planning, approval, and emergency response. Training for planning support and centralized hub: The province should establish a centralized hub to support event safety across British Columbia. The hub would provide accessible, standardized advice, training, and practical tools for event organizers, municipal officials, and others involved in planning public gatherings. Support for event delivery and local capacity: Consultations made clear that rising safety and security costs are one of the most significant barriers to hosting community events. For many organizers, particularly in smaller or under-resourced communities, the costs threaten the viability of their events. The province should consider expanding availability of grants or financial support to offset safety and security costs. Foster local collaboration on event safety: Event organizers in smaller communities would benefit from more focused collaboration with emergency services. Consultation during the planning phase can improve readiness and build trust between interested partners. The province should encourage regular tabletop exercises including police, fire departments, emergency management services, and event organizers. Promote learning through event evaluation: The province should encourage the routine use of after-action reports and collection of public feedback after events. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C. launches public safety program aimed at stopping non-violent street crime
VANCOUVER - British Columbia has launched a new public safety program aimed at reducing shoplifting, property damage and other non-violent street crimes in business areas. Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, says the program is a 'direct result' of feedback from police and the business community. Yung says B.C. officials 'heard loud and clear' their need for support in cracking down on street-level theft, vandalism, mischief and other crimes that undermine businesses, sometimes making it 'untenable' for them to operate. He says the initiative will help police address repeat offenders, building on an existing program aimed at stopping those who commit violent crimes. The minister says the B.C. RCMP is administering the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement program and police departments across the province may apply for funding by submitting proposals for reducing non-violent street crime. The province has allocated up to $5 million to launch the initiative, though Yung says the money is 'a start,' and the B.C. government would continue to support policing while waiting for results from the program before deciding the next steps. 'But that doesn't preclude other investments the province is making in terms of housing, in terms of health care, mental health, drug addiction treatment, poverty reduction and other social service agencies that we're funding,' he said Friday. 'We can't just arrest our way out of crime ... We have to look at the undercurrents of what (is) causing this to happen.' B.C. public safety officials are 'watching carefully' as the federal government considers bail reform to address repeat offending, Yung added. 'We are looking forward to seeing what concrete changes are coming from the new government,' he told the news conference held in Vancouver. A statement from the province says the program will provide police with 'enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.' It will also support police as they develop co-ordinated operational plans that involve businesses, outreach teams and social services, the statement says. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat told the news conference the new program is 'a step forward' and another tool for police to use in combatting street-level crime by repeat offenders that is 'eroding a sense of safety' in communities across B.C. She said police departments may seek funding to increase patrols in areas with high levels of retail theft or to address drug trafficking in downtown areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. launches public safety program aimed at stopping non-violent street crime
VANCOUVER – British Columbia has launched a new public safety program aimed at reducing shoplifting, property damage and other non-violent street crimes in business areas. Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, says the program is a 'direct result' of feedback from police and the business community. Yung says B.C. officials 'heard loud and clear' their need for support in cracking down on street-level theft, vandalism, mischief and other crimes that undermine businesses, sometimes making it 'untenable' for them to operate. He says the initiative will help police address repeat offenders, building on an existing program aimed at stopping those who commit violent crimes. The minister says the B.C. RCMP is administering the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement program and police departments across the province may apply for funding by submitting proposals for reducing non-violent street crime. The province has allocated up to $5 million to launch the initiative, though Yung says the money is 'a start,' and the B.C. government would continue to support policing while waiting for results from the program before deciding the next steps. 'But that doesn't preclude other investments the province is making in terms of housing, in terms of health care, mental health, drug addiction treatment, poverty reduction and other social service agencies that we're funding,' he said Friday. 'We can't just arrest our way out of crime … We have to look at the undercurrents of what (is) causing this to happen.' B.C. public safety officials are 'watching carefully' as the federal government considers bail reform to address repeat offending, Yung added. 'We are looking forward to seeing what concrete changes are coming from the new government,' he told the news conference held in Vancouver. A statement from the province says the program will provide police with 'enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.' It will also support police as they develop co-ordinated operational plans that involve businesses, outreach teams and social services, the statement says. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat told the news conference the new program is 'a step forward' and another tool for police to use in combatting street-level crime by repeat offenders that is 'eroding a sense of safety' in communities across B.C. She said police departments may seek funding to increase patrols in areas with high levels of retail theft or to address drug trafficking in downtown areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
Global News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
B.C. launches $5M public safety program to crack down on street crime
The B.C. government has unveiled $5 million in new funding for an initiative to crack down on property crime and street disorder. The province says the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement (C-STEP) program will give police more tools to respond to street crimes, including shoplifting, theft and property damage. Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services Terry Yung, a former Vancouver police officer, said the program was a result of listening to communities and police around the province. 1:49 Vancouver police hosts forum on retail crime 'We heard loud and clear what they wanted, and street-level crime such as theft, robbery, undermining businesses and making it sometimes untenable for them to be around. For so long it has been going on and this is not acceptable,' he said. Story continues below advertisement The initiative comes as concerns about street crime and disorder make headlines around the province. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Earlier this week, the City of Williams Lake said it was considering declaring a state of emergency to deal with the problem, while residents of Nanaimo have staged repeated rallies over what they say is spiralling public disorder. Retailers have also reported upticks in violent shoplifting incidents, with London Drugs recently saying it was considering shuttering its location on the edge of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The program is being administered by the RCMP, which opened to funding applications from police agencies around the province two weeks ago. 1:50 Williams Lake considers state of emergency over crime, disorder The province says C-STEP funding will be available to support increased police patrols targeting street crime like open drug use and trafficking, disturbances and public intoxication, and to work with businesses and social services on co-ordinated plans to pre-emptively address street disorder. Story continues below advertisement 'We are not going to be prescriptive in where the funding is going to go, We want the police agencies to come up with operational plans, requests, and expect a matrix to find out where this money is going to address the most pressing challenges facing them on the street level,' Yung said. He said the program will supplement the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement, which targets repeat violent offenders. The program is being welcomed by business groups and the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. 1:49 Maple Ridge safety concerns following baseball bat assault 'This initiative reflects a clear recognition of the urgent public-safety challenges facing downtown cores, including the growing impact of non-violent and repeat offenders on small businesses,' said Jane Talbot, president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association. 'Any step forward is important, and we see this as a significant and encouraging move in the right direction.' Story continues below advertisement Asked if the money would be enough to tackle property crime across the province, Yung described the $5 million as a 'beginning investment.' He added that the province continues to advocate for 'meaningful bail reforms' promised by Prime Minister Mark Carney's new Liberal government.
The Age
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
‘We've made history': Labor holds on to knife-edge seat of Bennelong
Laxale, a former Ryde mayor, was elected in 2022 and held the seat on a one per cent margin. It was only the second time Labor had won Bennelong in more than seven decades. However, the boundary redraw that abolished the seat of North Sydney shifted Bennelong east, taking in more of Lane Cove and Hunters Hill, and turned it into a notionally Liberal seat with a wafer-thin margin of 0.04 per cent. The seat also covers Ryde, Eastwood and Gladesville. Speaking after his victory, Laxale said: 'Our goal from day one was to win it, and then hold it. Halfway through that, we got a boundary redistribution which put a spanner in the works. 'But what I've learnt from the people of Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Woolwich and Chatswood, is that obviously it's policies that matter, not the party you belong to. Loading 'They chose a candidate and a party that aligns with their values, and I'll represent them as hard as I can for the next three years.' Yung has come under scrutiny for his campaign finance record after falsely claiming he had raised $60,000 during a dinner with former prime minister John Howard before the NSW election in 2019. He also faced questions over his ties to a Chinese Communist Party-linked casino high roller. Laxale, too, attracted unwanted attention in the final days of the campaign when he was forced to apologise for his father making homophobic remarks about a Liberal volunteer. Yung took aim at the Labor Party when he addressed the scrutiny surrounding his campaign as he cast his vote on Saturday. 'I respect what the media does, and I'll continue to respect that, but can I just say that Labor has run a smear campaign against me.' Laxale was asked whether he thought his father's comments had hurt his campaign in the critical final stretch, and said: 'We'll see what happens. 'We've been really focusing on cost of living and housing locally here … my dad regrets what he said, and he's very apologetic, and we'll move on from that.'
