From Compassion to Concern: Crime and Disorder Dominate B.C. Municipalities Convention

The Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention is often a snapshot of the province’s political mood—and this year, the message was unmistakable.

Back in 2019, the focus was on compassion during the overdose crisis, with only a modest audience attending panels about addiction and drug policy. Now, in 2025, hundreds of delegates packed into a ballroom for a session bluntly titled “Disordered Downtown,” signaling how concerns have shifted.

“In our desire to be compassionate, we have sometimes lost the balance with accountability,” said Julien Daly, CEO of Victoria’s Our Place shelter. He told delegates that when the legal system doesn’t support charges and there are no consequences for disruptive behavior, communities feel powerless. His remarks drew loud applause.

The sentiment reflects how far the conversation has moved. Issues of homelessness, mental health, and crime are no longer limited to major cities like Vancouver or Victoria—they are spilling into smaller communities across B.C.

“Things are tough up in Terrace,” said Mayor Sean Bujtas, noting that his northern city of 12,000 has counted 156 homeless residents, a per-capita rate far higher than Vancouver’s. “You’re seeing more and more people committing crime in our communities not paying the price … and it infects the entire city.”

Mayors from Nelson and Dawson Creek echoed similar concerns, underlining that the overlapping crises are now province-wide.

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto acknowledged the government’s slow progress, despite years of funding. “Millions of dollars have been spent on this. Has it solved the problem? No, it hasn’t,” she said, urging faster approvals for low-income housing and mental health supports.

Provincial officials point to new mental health units, expanded care beds, and streamlined access to drug therapies, but admit shortcomings—especially around treating people with concurrent disorders.

For long-time Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, who once warned of “compassion fatigue” back in 2019, the change in atmosphere was clear. Now seated on the main panel, he told delegates the top issue for his residents is no longer potholes or parks.

“It’s safety on our streets,” he said—capturing the prevailing mood of this year’s UBCM.