Highlights
At the end of the 2023/24 reporting cycle, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General was preparing to introduce the first phase of Police Act legislative amendments, which are focused on municipal police governance and oversight, and represent an interim step towards longer-term and broader legislative modernization. The bill includes over 80 amended sections and 40 new sections, as well as numerous consequential amendments to 22 other provincial statutes. By March 2024, the ministry had distributed grants to support community-led engagement with diverse and intersectional British Columbians and provided capacity funding to First Nations and Modern Treaty Nations for co-development of policing policy during the second phase of legislative work.
Beginning in February 2024, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions initiated an engagement process to discuss Indigenous-led mental health crisis response services.
As a complement to these policing and mental health policy reform efforts, in July 2023 the Province announced the locations for three new peer assisted care teams and nine new mobile integrated crisis response teams. Six of the new mobile integrated crisis response teams were launched between October 2023 and January 2024.
A total of $1.536 million in funding was provided by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General in 2023/24 to interested First Nations (all 200+ First Nations and Métis Nation BC were invited to apply), the First Nations Leadership Council, the BC First Nations Justice Council and community organizations, to support capacity and engagement for the second phase of policing policy co-development. This amount included 37 community-led engagement grants totaling $0.350 million, including five engagement grants for urban Indigenous-serving organizations totaling $0.050 million; and capacity funding for over 50 First Nations, Modern Treaty Nations and leadership organizations totaling $1.186 million.
Three peer assisted care teams are currently operational in the North Shore, New Westminster and Victoria. Three additional peer assisted care teams are in the process of being implemented in the Comox Valley, Kamloops and Prince George. Seven mobile integrated crisis response teams are currently operational in Abbotsford, Port Coquitlam/Coquitlam, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Penticton, Vernon and the West Shore. Two additional mobile integrated crisis response teams are in the process of being implemented in Squamish and Prince Rupert.
How are we working together?
The new policing and oversight legislation will be co-developed with interested First Nations, Modern Treaty Nations and Indigenous leadership organizations such as the BC First Nations Justice Council. Capacity funding is available to support this work. A draft consultation and co-operation plan has been developed to ensure meaningful co-development at each stage of the policy and legislation development process.
Robust engagement with First Nations and Modern Treaty Nations is underway with support from Deloitte’s Nation building advisory services team. Eight in-person regional sessions took place in March 2024. Over 20 virtual and in-person sessions are scheduled to take place over the summer of 2024 focused on co-developing policy that will become the foundation of new policing and police oversight legislation. The ministry is also meeting with First Nations and Modern Treaty Nations who wish to participate in government-to-government meetings outside of the consultation sessions.
The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions is working with Mahihkan Management to conduct engagement on Indigenous-led crisis response. Mahihkan Management has conducted 10 Indigenous engagement sessions throughout the province in both in-person and virtual formats, with two more sessions to come. Engagement sessions were open to all Indigenous Peoples in B.C., including First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Mahihkan Management is also offering an engagement survey for those who wish to contribute in a written format. These engagements will inform potential development of Indigenous-led mental health crisis response models in B.C.
Are there challenges?
Due to the scale and complexity of co-developing new policing and police oversight policy and legislation, significant capacity, time, and efforts are required of First Nations, Modern Treaty Nations and Indigenous leadership organizations to meaningfully participate in the co-development process. For this process to be effective, partners are required to arrive at a shared understanding of the policy and legislation co-development process and there is limited experience and best practice available to partner groups, the ministry and within government in general.
Capacity and resources also need to be secured to plan for and implement the reformed policing policies and programs once new legislation has been enacted, which could include but is not limited to the creation of new police oversight and training models.
Given the scale, complexity and funding implications associated with this initiative, some reforms desired by partners may need to be prioritized over others to ensure meaningful progress can be made in the key areas. Staffing numbers and experience, in addition to partner capacity, remain key considerations in the successful completion of policing policy reforms.
To effectively implement new mobile integrated crisis response teams, health authorities and the RCMP must determine roles and responsibilities.