BC Conservatives hosting community safety forum this week

MLAs holding safety forum

Photo: Madison Reeve

BC Conservative MLA for Kelowna Kristina Loewen

Kelowna MLA Kristina Loewen is aiming to open the floodgates to a wide-ranging conversation on crime and public when she hosts a community safety forum this week.

“We really want to hear from business owners and residents about what is going on in their world, what they want to see for change,” Loewen said.

“We want to take the things that they're saying and continue to amplify their voices and advocate for change in Victoria.”

Loewen will be joined at the Crime and Community Safety town hall by Kelowna Mission MLA Gavin Dew, West Kelowna–Peachland MLA Macklin McCall, and interim B.C. Conservative leader Trevor Halford, who travelled to Kelowna Tuesday to get the lay of the land ahead of the event.

Halford said it seems clear that change is needed.

“I can tell you that Kelowna has changed over the last number of years, and I don't think it's going the right way,” Halford said.

“You know, you can see people that are struggling on the streets. You can see the crime that's going on with small business.”

The issues facing Kelowna are not unlike those in other cities, and Loewen said the provincial government should shoulder some of the blame, particularly when it comes to a lack of resources for people in need of treatment.

“There's no clear path to treatment,” Loewen said.

“You know, I heard one story from a constituent whose son basically got himself into jail so that he could get treatment, so he could sober up, come down,” she said.

“Then he negotiated his way into some mandatory care because it's so difficult to access just coming in off the street.”

Loewen said she knows both business owners and people suffering from addiction and homelessness are struggling under the status quo.

Halford said the NDP government needs to live up to some of its campaign commitments, including intentions outlined for involuntary care, noting that it's not just business owners who are suffering but the people on the streets, as well.

The event will be held at the Revelry Food + Music Hub on Feb. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees are asked to RSVP.

The forum comes on the heels of another similar event held by the City of Kelowna last week.