Vancouver mayor says the city is safe despite recent violent crimes
The mayor of Vancouver is reassuring the public the city is safe despite what appears to be a rise in violent crimes.
Kennedy Stewart was asked about his thoughts on public safety after the Vancouver Police Department released a video of another unprovoked attack in the city.
"I do think Vancouver is safe, it's one of the safest cities in the world," Stewart told reporters Wednesday.
The video showed a man lunging at, and grabbing a 22-year-old woman outside of the Hotel Georgia on New Year’s Eve. The woman was able to break free from his grasp and get the man off her.
Last year, the VPD reported that they were seeing four stranger assaults per day on average.
Stewart said he’s sympathetic to those who are victims of crime, but feels the city is doing enough to keep people safe.
"We spend over $1 million per day on policing in this city," Stewart said.
However, even the VPD admits these incidents have led to an erosion in confidence in public safety.
“Unfortunately these types of incidents are happening more and more in the city,” said Const. Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department.
“Nobody should have to change where they walk.”
A recent SFU criminology study found that violent crimes increased slightly in poorer neighbourhoods like Downtown, Strathcona and Mount Pleasant during the first year of the pandemic.
While theft-related crimes went up in wealthier areas like Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, Oakridge and Killarney.
"The big story here is that the largely marginalized populations in Vancouver are suffering more as a result of their place in society," Martin Andresen, professor of criminology at SFU, told CTV News.
“What we argue in this case is that these areas need more social support.”
Andresen said while there has been an increase in crime in recent years, the city is still much safer than previous decades.
“Crimes been dropping in Vancouver since at least the early 2000s," he said.
“So these increases were seeing are from a much lower baseline.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.