Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan said the city will expand the Downtown Ambassadors program with funding from both downtown businesses and taxpayers after he cited the program's various accomplishments on Saturday.

The city would match contributions from the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and other area business associations, Sullivan said.

"We're trying to match some of the contributions of the businesses, it will not be fully citizen taxpayer funded," Sullivan said. "It will be matched by existing businesses and their willingness to contribute to it."

But the funding, which was pre-approved by city council last December, could be more than taxpayers would like to pay.

"The city's portion could be as much as $750,000," said David Jones, security consultant to the DVBIA.

The cost could vary, he said, depending on how much various Greater Vancouver business improvement associations contribute.  

Sullivan announced the increased funding would go toward:

  • an increase in downtown hours of operation from 16 to 24 hours/day, seven days a week by the end of June
  • an increase in the number of ambassadors to approximately 25 from 16 before the end of July
  • confirmation of plans to expand Ambassador program to other business improvement areas in Vancouver

Downtown Ambassadors patrol downtown streets in bright red hats and jackets and are known as the "eyes and ears" of the city. They watch for suspicious activity and collaborate with police to reduce crime.

Since 2000, they have been funded through a levy paid by 8,000 business owners in the 90-block area run by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.

Mayoral hopeful Allan De Genova told CTV News taxpayers should not have to pay for what is, essentially, private police.

"I think taxpayers that have to pay the money they do ... shouldn't have to pay over and above in private policing, as other communities have to do right now," he said. "I don't think it's fair."

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Sullivan described how the ambassadors witnessed two people carrying Helly Hansen coat hangers in a stairwell on Granville Street as the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) were investigating a break-in at the Helly Hanson store nearby.

The suspects were subsequently arrested and charged with breaking and entering and possession of stolen property.

Sullivan calls the ambassadors 'instrumental' in helping the VPD tackle crime and disorder.

The Downtown Ambassadors program, launched in 2000, was bolstered last December when city council provided it with more funding.

Downtown Ambassadors provide the following services:

  • respond to calls concerning specific incidents (suspicious persons, first aid situations, tourists with special needs)
  • provide an effective street presence
  • monitoring & deterring criminal activities in parking facilities & other areas accessible to the public
  • report crime & "quality of life" concerns to appropriate agencies
  • complete concise daily incident reports on issues attended to & follow-up with other agencies to effect resolution of problems
  • walking services to escort employees & visitors to their vehicles where safety might be a concern
  • assist the public with inquiries about the district, its businesses & services

The Downtown Ambassador program by the numbers:

  • Each month, the Ambassadors assist VPD in about 50 arrests
  • Open drug use in the DVBIA area has decreased from a high of 140 incidents per month in 2005 to approximately 20 per month by the end of 2007
  • The number of drug dealers in the DVBIA as tracked by the Ambassadors has decreased from a high of 60 in 2005 to almost negligible now
  • Each month Ambassadors conduct 4,000-5,000 patrols of parkades looking for tourists or locals in need of assistance, suspicious activity, stolen autos, homeless people sleeping, crimes in progress or crimes that have occurred
  • In summer, the Downtown Ambassadors can interact with tourists on average 10,000 times a month
  • Downtown Ambassadors interact with panhandlers between 50-150 times per month
  • Each month Ambassadors conduct between 500-1000 'Meet and Greets' with downtown business owners and managers
  • Ambassadors recover 5-10 stolen autos each month
  • The value of stolen property recovered by the Ambassadors has ranged from $2,000 to $20,000

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dave Pinton