Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says there has been no final decision in changes to B.C. Highway Patrol’s operations in the Lower Mainland, but he hinted that something could be coming in the spring.
Local governments were made aware of the coming changes back in June, with an expected start date for Sept. 1. The changes would see highway patrol officers shifting their focus to expand on proactive traffic enforcement, such as impaired driving investigations and tickets, and move away from traffic-related calls like collisions and erratic drivers.
READ MORE: BC Highway Patrol to stop attending collisions in Lower Mainland
Communities including Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Delta, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, the Langleys, Mission, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Richmond and Surrey would be impacted by the changes.
Highway patrol officers had been responding to traffic-related calls on provincial highways in the Lower Mainland for at least 12 years, but that was not part of B.C. Highway Patrol’s mandate that has been in place for 30 years.
However, in September B.C. Highway Patrol said the changes were delayed in the Lower Mainland to allow for additional engagement with a small number of municipalities.
READ MORE: BC Highway Patrol delays changes to collision coverage in Lower Mainland
Farnworth told reporters Tuesday (Oct. 31) that a decision has yet to be made, with more consultation needed.
He added the delay and need for consultation has been communicated to local detachments, and he met with local governments in the Fraser Valley earlier this year.
Asked when a concrete decision could come, Farnworth said: ”You’re probably looking at something more into the springtime than right now.”
– With files from Dillon White
