RCMP cruiser/Vernon Matters Staff

By Vernon Matters Staff

Push for reform

Regional push to tackle chronic offenders as mayors call for justice reform

Oct 1, 2025 | 10:58 AM

Kelowna City Council has received a report from their Community Safety Department titled Chronic Offenders: Closing the Revolving Door, which highlights crime challenges faced across the region.

The report highlights the persistent impacts of chronic offenders and calls for urgent criminal justice reform. It suggests a small group of individuals, often struggling with addiction, mental health issues, or homelessness, are responsible for a disproportionate amount of property and violent crime.

Last week, mayors from Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, and Peachland met at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria to discuss the growing problem of repeat offenders. The mayors urged the province to implement meaningful justice reform and close the revolving door of repeat offenders.

The report also notes a decline in public confidence in the justice system, citing systemic delays, limited resources, and lenient bail laws. Between 2019 and 2024, British Columbia had the lowest charge rate per capita in the country, while Kelowna’s local charge rate fell 48 per cent over the last decade.

City leaders are calling on the federal government to amend bail provisions, prioritize public safety, and strengthen grounds for detention. They argue provincial reforms are also needed, including more Crown prosecutors.

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Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas stressed that while the city has increased policing and invested in housing solutions, local efforts are not enough to break the cycle. He urged federal and provincial governments to provide the resources and legislative reforms needed to restore public safety.