B.C. investing millions to target chronic property offenders

The British Columbia government is launching a significant investment of $16 million to tackle chronic property offenders across the province. This new initiative, named the Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative, will establish 12 regional hubs. The program's primary goal is to reduce street disorder and curb crimes that specifically target local businesses.

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Retail theft and street disorder undermine public safety and place added pressure on local businesses.

According to Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, retail theft and street disorder negatively impact public safety and place undue pressure on local businesses. She stated, "The province is targeting chronic property offending that threatens the livelihood of small businesses, which are the backbone of our 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."

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The province is targeting chronic property offending that threatens the livelihood of small businesses, which are the backbone of our 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.

Small-scale pilot projects were initiated in November 2025 in Kelowna, Nanaimo, and Nelson. The province reports that the Kelowna RCMP attributed the program with helping to stabilize property crime trends, including a decrease in break-and-enters. This initiative is modeled after the successful Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative.

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Through the Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative, police and corrections work closely together to provide prosecutors with information to make timely decisions and craft appropriate bail and sentencing positions, leading to effective court outcomes.

The program focuses on repeat offenders within communities who engage in activities like theft, shoplifting, vandalism, and street disorder. Many of these individuals have complex needs related to housing, mental health, and substance use. The initiative involves close collaboration between police and corrections to provide prosecutors with information for timely decisions and to craft appropriate bail and sentencing positions, aiming for effective court outcomes, as stated by Attorney General Niki Sharma. The new hubs will supplement the 12 existing Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative hubs and will supervise up to 865 individuals involved in repeat offending.

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I went to Templeton High, and if you stole a doughnut at recess from the corner grocery store, the police were at school going, ‘ You stole a doughnut.