The City of Maple Ridge says it’s ready to start working on a community safety plan, after getting the go-ahead from council at its Feb. 12 meeting.
Mayor Michael Morden said in a release Wednesday that School District No. 42, businesses, volunteer groups and social service sectors, including Fraser Health and BC Housing, will all work on defining recommendations and creating an action plan, “to deliver improved city-wide safety.”
There was no timeline given as to when the safety plan will be complete. Morden said earlier that the public also would have input into the plan.
Morden said that the new council, elected last October, was elected “with a strong safety mandate.”
He added that a safety plan “will address what we all heard on the campaign trail. Whether it is fear and frustration from criminal activity, concerns that citizens are not being served by the social safety net, or concerns about speeding and motor vehicle accidents, it is clear our citizens are looking for action to address these problems,” Morden said in a release.
He added that a “connected community is a strong community. Council is committed to ongoing check-ins with the public as we engage the expertise in our community to roll out this important work that our citizens mandated us to do.”
Earlier this month, B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver gave the city authority to address fire safety issues in Anita Place Tent City while allowing wooden shacks to remain in the homeless camp on 223rd Street.
The injunction also grants the city the ability to identify those who are living in the camp to determine who needs housing and any additional support services, according to the city.