Businesses in Surrey feel less safe

The Vancouver Sun is reporting that "An extensive new survey of businesses in the Surrey city core suggests more than ever are feeling unsafe. Every year since 2006, the Downtown Surrey BIA safety interns survey local ground-level businesses about their experiences with safety. This year, 205 businesses completed the survey and it uncovered a significant sense of pessimism on the part of businesses as compared to last year, according to the report. A total of 29 per cent of respondents felt the area had become less safe (29 per cent) the most ever in the audit’s history."

"Social services were a controversial topic. When asked how social services in the area made them feel, while about 35 per cent felt less safe and noted that they attract unsavoury people to the area and served as a magnet for disorder, bringing in crime." No kidding. "Forty-five per cent of respondents wanted to see more police and security, when asked how the area’s safety could be improved, specifically foot and bike patrols. 'Get out of the car; sitting here does nothing,' wrote one respondent. Businesses also want to see greater responsibility and proactive engagement from the RCMP. The report recommendations include advocating for an RCMP “business liaison team” to do foot and bike patrols; working on the discarded needle issue."

“A lot of it is social disorder based, not necessarily full crimes, but the type of thing you see on the streets that make you feel unsafe - so discarded needles, people loitering, drug use,' said Dibnah. 'We’re not entirely sure if that is going up or if it’s just their perceptions. But regardless of whether or not it’s happening, if that’s their perception, that’s their reality.”

It is a forest fire of addiction that is brurning out of control because we are pouring gasoline on the fire instead of water.