Premier David Eby of British Columbia has revealed plans for a crucial meeting in Surrey, B.C., where officials from four provinces will gather to address a concerning rise in extortion cases. The RCMP’s national team, tasked with handling this alarming trend that has led to properties being targeted with gunfire, will be at the forefront of discussions.
Eby has confirmed that the meeting, which will involve representatives from B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario, is set to take place within the next two weeks, although a specific date has not been finalized yet.
In a promising development, Eby announced that Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged additional federal resources to support the RCMP’s efforts in British Columbia to combat the surge in extortion activities. This funding will enable more anti-gang police to actively participate in addressing these cases.
The primary objective of the upcoming meeting in Surrey, a city facing multiple extortion incidents, is to ensure seamless information-sharing among provinces and to guarantee that resources are efficiently distributed to drive successful investigations leading to arrests and prosecutions.
Eby had a productive meeting with Carney prior to their joint discussion with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Ottawa during a First Ministers’ Conference.
This announcement follows a recent motion passed by Surrey’s council, urging the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in response to the escalating extortion wave.
Furthermore, British Columbia’s anti-extortion task force head disclosed that the team is actively pursuing suspects in 32 cases across the Lower Mainland.