CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – Bylaw enforcement officers may be able to write tickets related to liquor consumption in public spaces soon.
The proposed amendments to the public nuisance and ticketing bylaws will move on with a first and second reading.
During Monday’s council meeting, councillor Charlie Cornfield asked why it was necessary for the city to take on the responsibility of ticketing offenders, when the RCMP already does so.
Currently, RCMP officers can write tickets related to drinking alcohol in public, while the city’s bylaw officers can write tickets related to drinking alcohol in parks.
Peter Wipper, Campbell River’s director of planning, clarified that amending current bylaw will not remove the RCMP off the job, but will instead help
“Our municipal ticket system provides us with the ability to enforce our bylaws which is quite a streamline way to do it. It allows both the RCMP and the bylaw officers to issue these violations,” Wipper said.
The bylaw amendments are consistent with what other communities do in assisting the RCMP as they manage liquor consumption in public spaces.
“We found with some of these individuals that it probably won’t make a difference, but if their tickets mount up, you can take those to the court. We believe that these individuals’ behaviour need to change or they need not to be permitted in the downtown area,” Wipper added.
“It’s actually quite effective in building a foundation on bringing about proper conduct and behaviour in the downtown core.”
