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
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer's disease
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Manitoba Court of Appeal dismisses Peter Nygard's appeal of extradition order
The Manitoba Court of Appeal has dismissed Peter Nygard's application for a judicial review of an order to extradite the former fashion mogul to the United States, where he faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
B.C. court date set for 3 accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three suspects accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on Tuesday.