Around 180 people attended a community safety rally at the south end of Country Club Centre on Saturday, Jan. 28, demanding action against several safety issues plaguing the city. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

loud and clear

‘Our little town is not safe:’ residents challenge government leaders for public safety solutions in Nanaimo

Jan 28, 2023 | 1:23 PM

NANAIMO — Local residents say they’re growing tired and increasingly worried about their well-being amid ongoing crime and social disorder in the city.

Community advocates, as well as some neighbourhood and business associations combined to organize a community safety rally at Country Club Centre on Saturday, Jan. 28.

The message was clear from the roughly 180 in attendance: all levels of government starting with City Hall and extending all the way to Ottawa must become more engaged with the social disorder issues facing Nanaimo, particularly in the downtown.

“The downtown core is one of the most beautifully, geographically set cities,” Tereza Bajan, co-chair of the Nob Hill Neighbourhood Association, told the crowd. “Everyone I talk to on the north end says ‘you know what, I’d love to go downtown and spend my money down there, but it’s not safe’. Our little town is not safe.”

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Personal impacts
Much like a similar rally in September 2022, several people expressed how crime, mental health and addictions challenges, violence and other social disorder issues had affected them.

Jeff Ross, owner of Gold and Silver Guy on Townsite Rd., said the situation has gotten exponentially worse in Nanaimo over the last three or four years.

“In the last 60 days alone, I’ve had two break-ins, three vehicle break-ins, two shoplifting events, two store windows being broken plus plenty of garbage I had to pick up. It makes it very hard to stay and want to be in business.”

A break-in within the last week saw Ross lose around $60,000 in inventory which was uninsured due to past issues with theft.

Ross added the Nanaimo RCMP officer who attended last week had been to previous thefts at the store.

“In conversation with her, she felt sorry for me and confided that she attends a crime, records the event, documents in a file and goes onto the next crime. She confessed there is very little the police can do.”

Several people shared stories about concerns for their own safety following a run of violent crimes, including murder, in Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The root causes
Most in attendance recognized the numerous factors which contribute to the greater issue.

Several spoke on how they want to see more treatment and services available for people suffering from mental health and addictions challenges.

However all eventually came back to criminal justice reform and a disconnect between RCMP, court prosecution and accountability.

Darrel Gyorfi, a retired RCMP staff sergeant who moved to Nanaimo as an officer in 1995 recounted his comments in September when he said crime then was the worst he’d seen.

He told the crowd it’s gotten a lot worse since.

“It’s a rotting mess right now. Just in the last little while, we’ve had another murder, stabbings, robberies at knifepoint, NANDU chaos has plagued the south end. We’ve had fires at Bino’s, it’s been a constant concern over there. Most businesses are hurting financially.”

He said downtown Nanaimo was less safe than his experience in Bogotá, Columbia where he previously worked.

Gyorfi challenged Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson and Premier David Eby who’d committed to tangible steps forward on public safety when he took over from John Horgan.

“(Eby) said you’ll see action from government on this issue…you will see action that actually addresses the core issues. How much action have you seen?” Gyorfi asked.

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog was an impromptu final speaker after being invited on stage by organizers, before being cut short in his remarks as he campaigned the province for more action. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Verbal sparring
Saturday’s event ended somewhat chaotically when emcee Karen Kuwica, member of the Newcastle Community Association, invited Mayor Leonard Krog to speak.

Krog passionately and repeatedly campaigned for formal care of those with deeply rooted challenges.

“There is no question in my mind, based on my experience that there are a number of people who are living in our streets who in any other time would have been in secure, involuntary care getting treatment for their mental health, addiction, brain injury and trauma issues.”

Krog continued by urging people to write to the province as organizers looked to intervene.

“I want you to write to [provincial leaders], tell them how you feel, that this will be for you a vote determining issue in the next election. I had rather hoped….” Krog said, before Kuwica thanked him for speaking. “I’m not done yet, sorry”, Krog replied.

A second portion of Krog’s speech turned into a back and forth between the Mayor and Kuwica when Krog mentioned the City was not responsible for mental health and addictions services, health services or housing, alluding to provincial inaction.

“Then what are you responsible for?” Kuwica asked.

Speaking over the top of an increasingly verbal crowd, Krog touted the City’s addition of police officers, firefighters and community safety officers before he was interrupted again.

“We pay for policing that is ineffective for public safety,” Kuwica said.

Krog tried to continue again before ultimately wrapping up.

“Karen, if you’re going to ask me to speak, you let me speak. If you don’t want me to speak, that’s fine.”

He finished by again calling on the province to do more and offering media in attendance to speak with him further after if they wished.

Krog was joined by city councillors Janice Perrino and Ian Thorpe as the only elected political leaders present.

Rally goers displayed signs at the event, as well as street-side both before and after. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Push the province
Messaging during and after the rally was clear: more must come from the provincial government, who are responsible for many of the root causes at play, in order to improve the crime and social disorder issues Nanaimo faces.

Collen Middleton, a member of the Nanaimo Area Public Safety Association, cited statistics from Area Vibes which showed Nanaimo ranked well above national averages for total crime, violent crime and property crime.

He said the province needs to come to the table with other levels of government.

“Why are we baring the brunt of failed provincial and federal policies that were supposed to keep the public safe? The only answer I have so far is that our provincial and federal leaders just don’t care about Nanaimo’s public safety. If they did, they would show up, speak up for the law-abiding, tax-paying citizens of this city.”

Saturday’s rally was the second organized in the city in recent months.

A September 2022 event held in front of the courthouse in downtown Nanaimo was attended by roughly 150 people and came in the wake of the killing of Fred Parsons at Maffeo Sutton Park just a few days prior.

Likewise, Saturday’s rally at Country Club Centre came just under a week from a fatal stabbing attack at Port Place Shopping Centre and a seemingly increasing number of break-ins and violent crimes.

Several people in the crowd and speakers on stage demanded reform of the criminal justice system to tackle prolific offenders. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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