Violent Canada Day chaos forces Victoria to launch 10 million emergency plan

Time of India

03-07-2025

The
City of Victoria
is investing over $10.35 million into public safety initiatives after a wave of violent incidents across the city's downtown during the
Canada Day
long weekend.
Mayor Marianne Alto
announced the funding on Wednesday(July 2) as part of the city's Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, a key component of its 2023–2026 strategic vision. Alto called the decision 'the single most important' the city council has made.
'We must do this. We must,' she said during a news conference outside Victoria City Hall.
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The funding includes $1.9 million to hire 12 new bylaw officers who will be deployed in high-risk areas such as Pandora Avenue and Princess Street. An additional $1.35 million will allow Victoria Police to recruit nine new officers. The city is also contributing a one-time payment of $220,000 to match provincial funding through the Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement Program (C-STEP).
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak welcomed the move, saying his department is currently short 44 officers.
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'We've been under-resourced for years. This is a much-needed investment, and we're already planning aggressive recruitment to fill these gaps,' Manak said.
The announcement comes days after a series of unrelated but troubling incidents across the city. A business owner on Yates Street was assaulted by a man unknown to him on Sunday. Later that evening, a separate individual attacked another person with an edged weapon nearby. That victim reportedly ran into a London Drugs store for safety. Earlier that day, a man armed with a weapon threatened the Victoria Fire Department headquarters.
The man arrested in the bike shop assault was later released on conditions, police confirmed.
The city is also addressing homelessness and mental health by allocating $1.95 million for two short-term shelter facilities, along with $850,000 in operational support and $300,000 for property rentals. Another $624,000 will support housing nonprofits to expand relocation services for unhoused individuals.
Victoria resident Sasha Santana said she often feels unsafe, regardless of time of day. 'I think there's a lot of different aspects, mental health, substance use, people not getting support. And people not knowing how to handle it,' she told CBC.
Mayor Alto emphasized the plan is not reactionary. 'What you're hearing today is a thoughtful plan that has been percolating for months,' she said.
Victoria's strategic reallocation of funds comes without raising taxes. The plan includes public infrastructure upgrades and a transport strategy to relocate unhoused people to services beyond the downtown core.