Tag Archives: Campbell River RCMP

Will BC Towns’ Bylaws Undermine Drug Decriminalization Pilot?

 

The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C.’s three-year pilot drug decriminalization program is aimed at reducing the barriers and stigma that prevent people from accessing life-saving supports and services. 

But since the possession of  small amounts of drugs was decriminalized on Jan. 31, some  municipalities have looked at bans on public drug use that advocates  warn undermine the provincial effort.

In Campbell River, the city decided to  implement its own bylaws three days before decriminalization took  effect, banning and ticketing public use of controlled substances. 

Continue reading Will BC Towns’ Bylaws Undermine Drug Decriminalization Pilot?

RCMP seize drugs and guns in Campbell River

The RCMP have been attempting to crack down on drug trafficking in Campbell River. 

Their most recent press release states that on Thursday March 16, a cache of drugs and guns were found in a house on Ebert Road

According to Cst. Maury Tyre, Media Relations Officer for the detachment, “Police seized over $3000 in cash, 17 grams of crack cocaine, 4 grams of cocaine, 13 grams of Fentanyl, 316 Hydromorphone pills and several other prescription pills.”

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January 18 Press Conference for Campbell River Mudslide

There was a mudslide in Campbell River during the evening of January 17. Two of the apartment buildings along the foreshore, on South Island Highway, had to be evacuated and the residents are still not able to return to their homes. The following day, Wednesday Jan 18, the Strathcona Regional District and city of Campbell River held two press conferences. Cortes Currents attended the virtual conference for reporters who could not go to Campbell River. 

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Reasonable grounds that officers committed offences in killing of Indigenous man, IIO finds

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Jared (Jay) Lowndes, Wet’suwet’en of the Laksilyu clan, was killed by Campbell River RCMP in 2021. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) opened an investigation into the officer-involved shooting and today, Thursday Dec. 1, the Chief Civilian Director shared IIO’s findings with Lowndes’ family.

The IIO has determined the actions of three of four subject officers, a dogmaster and two officers who fired shots, were not justified. Subject officers are persons who caused injury or may have caused injury.

Continue reading Reasonable grounds that officers committed offences in killing of Indigenous man, IIO finds

A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First

As Currents recently reported, homelessness is not just “an American thing,” or “a big-city thing,” or even “a Vancouver Island thing.”  Homelessness is also here on Cortes, where a recent survey found that about 50 people rated their housing situation as “unstable,” and 11 were living rough (with no permanent shelter, in tents or other makeshift accommodation).

Although “housing” might sound like a single issue, it has has knock-on effects throughout our community.

Continue reading A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First