Repeat property-crime offenders are now in the crosshairs of the province and RCMP.
Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Nina Krieger was joined by Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo-Gabriola, Insp. Donavan Tait, from the Nanaimo RCMP, and other officials in Nanaimo on Monday, June 22, to announce the province is investing $16 million over two years to launch the Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative province-wide.
Tait said the C-POII is modelled on the successful Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative which has reduced crimes by repeat-violent offenders in B.C. by 67 per cent, increased charge approvals for high-risk individuals, and strengthened responses from the justice system for these offenders.
He said police in many communities report that a small number of individuals are responsible for a disproportionate amount of property crimes, which include vandalism, urinating in public, theft, shoplifting and street disorder, and the C-POII will target them.
“Like RVOI, we’ll have a wrap-around approach that will involve not only police officers, but also prosecutors, probation officers, correctional supervisors, community-integration specialists and mental-health liaisons who will meet and identify who are the best candidates for the initiative,” Tait said.
“These individuals will receive enhanced supervision and supports based on their criminal history, level of community disruption and risk of re-offending.”
Tait said small-scale pilots of the C-POII have been underway in Nanaimo, Kelowna and Nelson since November, 2025, and the program will now go province-wide to take on chronic property and public disorder crimes over the next two years.
Sonia Komen, the owner/operator of The Nanaimo Bar, a lounge and music venue on Front Street where the press conference was held, said she knows there are many communities, not just Nanaimo, that have experienced public-safety challenges.
“This not only affects local businesses such as The Nanaimo Bar, but the residents as well,” she said.
“The new C-POII is a step toward addressing these issues, and I appreciate the province’s continued commitment and efforts to supporting safer communities.”
Fred Jeffery, chair of the Downtown Nanaimo Business Association, said the DNBA was very encouraged to learn that Nanaimo was one of the sites chosen for the C-POII pilot program
“Some of our members have experienced a substantive emotional and financial toll as victims of these property crimes,” he said.
“We hope that the extension and expansion of the program provides the long-term solution to reducing the toll of these crimes, and helps the folks caught in this cycle of crime find a better path forward.”
Krieger said chronic property crime threatens the livelihoods of small businesses, which are the backbone of B.C. communities.
“We’re building on progress we’ve made, dedicating more resources and working with partners to strengthen enforcement and keep communities vibrant and safe.”
George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville, said when local businesses in Nanaimo thrive, the community can be vibrant and the city can realize its potential.
“Through C-POII, repeat offenders who commit senseless property crimes will be targeted through enforcement measures that will increase safety on the streets for all residents,” he said.