Save Our Streets reacts to poll regarding negative impact street disorder has on businesses

The cost of doing business in BC has gone up over the past five years due to street disorder.

That was the overwhelming consensus of a new poll released by the Business Improvement Areas of BC.

97 percent of the more than 500 small and medium sized businesses shared that sentiment.

For Jess Ketcham, the co-founder of Save Our Streets, one thing stood out in particular from this survey.

“Generally the most important thing about this survey indicates that the level of concern, even level of fear has increased, and it’s province-wide. I think that is a really important point because I think that with so much attention on the Lower Mainland there is not enough attention being paid to the problems that are being experienced in Quesnel and other communities throughout B.C.”

Ketcham added the issue will be front and center come the next election.

“Our intent always was to raise the level of awareness of the concerns which we’ve done and this survey certainly indicates that that has happened, and it’s not just been SOS but other organizations like the BIA’s, and then it’s up to governments to really respond to that level of public concern. So here we are days away from the election and we’re going to see I think a great deal of debate now around this topic that maybe we wouldn’t have seen if it weren’t for the outcry that has been from the general public and from these organizations over the past few months.”

We also asked Ketcham what sort of candidate SOS would like to see for the upcoming vote.

“What we’re looking for in a candidate is someone who will look at the data so that it is science based, the response is science based, based on the data of the level of crime that’s happening, where it’s happening, the types of crimes that are taking place, and then implementing solutions that are dedicated to those areas where the crimes are most prominent.”

The survey also indicated that 58 percent of businesses reported an increase in violence and aggression since 2023, 56 percent reported a spike in theft, and 53 percent reported more broken windows.

82 percent of business owners also said they were experiencing an increase in fear, anxiety and/or stress due to street disorder.

– with files from George Henderson, My Cariboo Now staff