Social disorder and ongoing challenges in the downtown are being tackled by Nanaimo's community safety officers, however they are stretched thin and subject to a potential program expansion. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

STRETCHED THIN

‘Trying to do this with very scarce resources:’ City investigating costs to expand Nanaimo CSO program

Apr 29, 2024 | 4:28 PM

NANAIMO — The City is eyeing the expansion of its ambitious safety plans for the downtown, however the cost of potential upgrades remains to be seen.

Councillors were presented results from an independent consultant’s report during a governance and priorities meeting on Monday, April 29, which examined the Downtown Nanaimo Community Safety Action Plan implemented in 2022.

Of particular focus from consulting company Deloitte, was the effectiveness of the $2.5 million annual plan and the 12 Community Safety Officers (CSOs) who make up a lion’s share of the cost patrolling downtown and working with those on the street.

“It’s not just addiction or their homeless or their mental health, they’re all combined into one,” Barry Hornby, supervising CSO, told councillors. “We have a really strong group that brings in, not just the enforcement background but the compassion-based approach that is making a difference.”

Community Safety Officers have been working Nanaimo streets since fall 2022, building rapport with those living in the area. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Since the program’s inception in September 2022, officers have provided over 1,500 doses of the overdose-reversing agent Naloxone and performed live-saving CPR over 80 times.

City director of public safety Dave Laberge added the unit is stretched thin.

“The sheer amount of work and the amount of trauma they’re experiencing…just trying to do this with very scarce resources. One of the officers was injured in an accident and off for about nine months, we had to shrink the teams and the hours and now we have another injured officer.”

Among the recommendations presented by Deloitte include an expansion from 12 to 20, 24 or 30 CSOs and broadening the geographical scope of the program to more than just downtown.

Any expansion would also help the safety and well-being of officers by providing adequate and additional shift coverage and potentially allow for 24/7 staffing of the downtown area.

While councillors unanimously supported the CSOs, the work they do and the idea of expanding the program, where the money will come from was a major concern expressed during the meeting.

Mayor Leonard Krog said the general expectation was the CSOs would help, but emphasized they aren’t the solution to Nanaimo’s woes.

“We would see a cleaner downtown, but it would not be enough because the numbers are overwhelming. The sources of the real solutions to save us from the misery that fills our streets is not going to come from the City, but we can do what we can to try and alleviate it.”

The CSO program is seen as an additional step for the City to tackle challenges associated with homelessness, rather than strict bylaw enforcement and displacement. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Multiple councillors shared concerns regarding potential, and likely, tax increases to directly fund anywhere between eight and 18 new CSOs.

Coun. Hilary Eastmure expressed concerns about expanding the CSO program too far and too fast.

“When it comes down to it, it’s not going to be financially feasible for us to expand the CSO program to the entire city, because that’s almost creating like our own municipal bylaw police force and it’s just like a bottomless pit of resources,” Coun. Eastmure said.

Coun. Janice Perrino spoke most passionately about cost concerns, saying more resources are being devoted to issues with provincial responsibility roots, but little money is coming from senior government to help solve them.

Her comments came hours after councillors passed the first three readings of financial plan bylaws which will lock in a 7.7 per cent tax increase this year.

“If we were to agree to an additional 30 CSOs and 10 more members with the clean team, I shudder to think what the tax number will be. And not one perspective from the provincial government as far as what can be done for those people who are so desperately ill from this horrible, horrible disease of drug addiction.”

Hired as consultants in January 2024, Deloitte found the City largely delivered on its goals outlined through the Downtown Nanaimo Community Safety Action Plan, with only a few steps where the City either didn’t completely deliver or failed to start at all.

Deployment of the community safety officer program was seen as a major win, as well as the addition of private security patrols in parkades.

An enhanced clean team had “a visible impact on the cleanliness of downtown” according to the report, while implementation of a vandalism relief grant was also seen as a win.

The consultants also recommended expanding the clean team to either six or 10 full-time positions.

Additional vehicles and services are also eyed through the team’s roles and responsibilities.

Staff will return to council at a future meeting with a full cost analysis of implementing Deloitte’s recommendations.

Perrino was the lone vote against the motion, while coun. Tyler Brown was absent from the meeting.

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