The Government of Canada and the province of British Columbia are taking decisive steps to address the growing threat of extortion targeting individuals and businesses in our communities. These crimes - often carried out using threats and intimidation through social media - can escalate to violence and are frequently linked to organized crime.
Today in Surrey, B.C, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety and the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State for Combatting Crime, joined the Honourable David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, the Honourable Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Honourable Niki Sharma, Attorney General, municipal leaders and law enforcement officials for a trilateral summit on combatting extortion and organized crime. The summit focused on enforcement, victim support and prevention.
Leaders examined enforcement challenges and the critical role of federal, provincial and local agencies, including as part of the B.C. Extortion Task Force. The Task Force, led by the B.C. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (B.C.-RCMP), and which includes the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and local police, is focusing on solutions and a coordinated response. To bolster enforcement, the B.C. RCMP has previously committed additional resources to the B.C. Extortion Task Force, while the CBSA has opened investigations into 96 foreign nationals who may be inadmissible and has now removed five individuals from Canada.
To strengthen Canadian law enforcement's capacity to disrupt organized crime groups that control the illegal drug market in B.C., the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the B.C. Government, is creating a Regional Integrated Drug Enforcement Team (RIDET). Backed by a federal investment of $4 million over four years, provided through Canada's Border Plan, this team will bring together law and border enforcement resources from multiple agencies and jurisdictions to fight organized drug crime and combat extortion. To maximize collaboration, participants will co-locate in a centralized hub.
Building on these enforcement measures and in response to a request from B.C., leaders committed to expand community safety planning, strengthen supports for victims, and invest in prevention initiatives. As part of this effort, the Government of Canada and the B.C. Government are committing $1-million to support victims of extortion. The Government of Canada is providing the Government of B.C. with $500,000 over two years, through Justice Canada's Victims Fund, for four additional victim service and community outreach workers to assist the B.C. Extortion Task Force and local police. This funding will also support the development and translation of public resources, including webpages and safety planning tools, to improve cultural relevance and accessibility. The federal investment will be matched by the province and address the need for additional victim services and community outreach in Lower Mainland communities, particularly Abbotsford and Surrey. In addition, the B.C. Government is committing $500,000 to the RCMP and police to enhance services for victims of extortion with safety planning and community outreach, and to purchase police equipment to enhance victim safety. The province will develop an online information hub for victims to enhance their security.
Recognizing the importance of tackling crime before it starts, the Government of Canada also announced $1.5 million through Public Safety Canada's Crime Prevention Action Fund for the Yo Bro Yo Girl Youth Initiative. The organization will launch a Youth Engagement Hub in Surrey to help divert vulnerable youth from gangs and organized crime through programs, mentorship, employment training, and counselling for up to 1,000 young people.
The summit concluded with a unified pledge to disrupt organized crime networks and protect businesses and residents across the Lower Mainland. Extortion is a serious crime. The Government of Canada, the Government of B.C. and its partners urge anyone affected not to comply with demands and to report incidents to local police, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers. Multilingual services are available to make reporting safe and accessible. Help is available.
