Penticton, B.C., is seeing a sharp rise in racism and discrimination, a trend the city can no longer ignore.
“We’ve seen quite a big increase over the last few years with racism and discrimination,” said Cherry Fernandez, executive director of South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services (SOICS).
She says those incidents range from “a lot of racial slurs” to “graffiti that happens on murals, sidewalks and a lot of intimidating behaviour,” adding, “that’s what we’re hoping not to get to, we’re trying to prevent that.”
In response, city council is proposing changes to the Safe Public Places Bylaw that would allow RCMP to issue fines for racist or discriminatory behaviour that doesn’t meet the threshold of a criminal offence.
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“The Safe Public Spaces Bylaw has a number of offences that would be stipulated within them,” said Penticton Public Safety General Manager Julie Czeck.
“The fines range from $30 to $500. The fines can be enforced by both RCMP and bylaw, but the discriminatory harassment one can only be done by RCMP.”
The city says the bylaw would be the first of its kind in B.C., and Fernandez says it’s needed.
“In our survey of 400 respondents, 74 per cent said that they never reported what happened to them, and what we found was many are concerned because they find that there is no response,” said Fernandez.
She points to a 2023 incident around Van Horne Street, where clients and staff reported repeated harassment.
“We had reports of having multiple incidents of harassment and being called racial slurs, to the point where people didn’t feel safe walking to their cars. They were walking in pairs,” she said.
Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield issued a statement saying the bylaw sends a clear message: hate and harassment have no place in the city.
Czeck says the city is committed to broader change as well. “This is one of the solutions of many that we’re interested in leaning in on, working with SOICS and other community partners so that this is a community everyone can feel safe in.”
Council will vote on the bylaw in the new year.
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