Council Says Yes to Bylaw to Recover Costs for Attending Nuisance Properties
Prince George, B.C.- Councillor Brian Skakun brought forward his request to have Staff look at possibly developing a bylaw “that would address the recovery of RCMP and staff costs from the owners of properties where there have been repeated calls for service related to bylaw infractions or other nuisances”.
Skakun says his motion was sparked by the recent hearing on the Connaught Motor Inn where it was revealed RCMP had been called to that site about 750 times since 2012.
Skakun says there are other communities which already have such bylaws, and pointed to Nanaimo, which even breaks it down further “If it’s a constable that responds it costs so much, and if it’s a Sergeant it’s so much.”
Councillor Garth Frizzell is concerned this might deter some people from reporting crime, but said he would support the motion.
Councillor Murry Krause supports the idea as well, “I will be interested in seeing what it looks like in the end.”
“It puts pressure on the bad guys to be good guys” said Councillor Albert Koehler.
Mayor Lyn Hall was also in support, “We have some locations in the community which really tax our police services and it comes to tens of thousands of dollars”. He said the numbers are “hard to swallow when such a large portion of the budget each year go towards police services.”
Council supported the motion unanimously, but there is no timeline on when Staff might return with a draft bylaw.
Comments
and if its a rental place??? Landlord gets hit with the bill???
I’m afraid so. I guess he could charge it back to the ones responsible.
Keep in mind, I believe, this would only apply to repeated calls to a specific address. Or it should anyway.
It would also give the landlord added grounds to have someone evicted.
Is the residential tenancy branch is going to agree to the landlords charging the renters? Odds are it’s landlords calling it in.
Yes, the Landlord has responsibility for ensuring the property is being used properly and is not a garbage dump. It means the LL needs to conduct his/her business as a business and not simply and only collect rent.
Also, there is a thing called a rental agreement than can include a clause calling for ‘keeping the property in a clean and proper fashion’; how can the ‘tenancy act’ have a problem with that? If that is the case, it is time to amend that act.
Not sure how to deal with 3rd and George.
Recovering this cost means the City gives the RCMP that much less?? And our taxes go down a bit???
yaaa I know… dreaming
One of the area’s in Prince George that the RCMP get the most calls for is the Third and George area. Business’s in that area are calling the RCMP on a regular basis because of all the attendant problems down their.
Now the question is who is responsible for law and order, and good governance??? My suggestion is that it is the RCMP and the City.
Soooo. If the City and RCMP do nothing to improve this area, and are in fact responsible for the continuing calls to the RCMP, then it logically follows that the City and the RCMP should have to pay for the additional cost of policing this area, if you follow Skakun’s logic.
Perhaps Skakun has some ideas on how we can reduce the need for police attending this area on a regular basis, or is he only interested in going after those business’s that allow this type of activity to take place, and is willing to overlook the Cities responsibility in proper policing.
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