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2mo ago

Victoria Council Endorses 95-Point Plan to Tackle Social Disorder

The endorsement clears the way for initial actions under the city’s 2025 budget, with a final vote on funding and implementation scheduled for July 3

Pandora Avenue in Victoria, B.C., in May 2024. The street is the epicentre of the city’s fentanyl crisis.

Overview

  • Council committee voted eight to one on June 19 to support the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan following nearly two years of public consultations
  • Early measures will deploy additional bylaw officers and explore designated shelters and tiny homes using funds allocated in the existing 2025 budget
  • Mayor Marianne Alto emphasized that many recommendations fall under provincial and federal jurisdiction and called for intergovernmental cooperation on costs and execution
  • Nearly half of businesses surveyed by the Downtown Victoria Business Association say they may not renew leases due to safety and disorder concerns
  • Staff will present a detailed cost analysis ahead of the final council decision on July 3