Premier David Eby is scheduled to make an announcement Friday morning in Surrey alongside the federal Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, about “strengthening the response to extortion threats and support for victims.”
This announcement comes amid more than 100 extortion-related police files this year in Surrey. Surrey Police Service said Thursday (Nov. 27) there have also been 44 extortion-related shootings and 75 “unique victims” in 2025.
Both the provincial and municipal governments have, within their own jurisdictions, announced steps being taken to tackle the crisis.
In September, the province set up a provincial task force to tackle the surge in extortion-related crimes affecting B.C.’s South Asian community. The task force includes representatives from Lower Mainland RCMP detachments, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Surrey Police Service, Abbotsford Police, Delta Police, the Canadian Border Services Agency and Metro Vancouver Transit Police.
The City of Surrey created a public safety department to support the Surrey Police and is offering $250,000 reward for information leading to convictions in the Surrey extortion cases.
At the end of October, Mayor Brenda Locke also asked the federal and provincial governments to provide 150 more police officers for Surrey to tackle the extortion crisis.
More to come…
READ MORE: Opposition leader calls for emergency debate on Canada’s rising extortion crisis
READ MORE: B.C. lawyers threatened with extortion-related violence
READ MORE: Surrey town hall addresses surge in extortion cases: community voices concerns
About the Author: Anna Burns
I cover breaking news, health care, court, Vancouver Rise FC, Vancouver Goldeneyes and social issues-related topics for the Surrey Now-Leader. anna.burns@surreynowleader.com Follow Anna on Twitter.