By Cheryl Jahn

Minister promises public safety

Mar 28, 2025 | 3:42 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – “MY focus here is to talk about how I saw my mandate work with Minister of Health, Poverty Reduction in conjunction with the Ministry of Community Safety to make sure we can work together across government and ministry, put up a meaningful approach that is coordinated to actually make a difference.”

That was Terry Yung, the Minister of State for Community Safety. A hot topic for plenty of BC communities, including ours. He met with Mayor Simon Yu, amongst others, about his mission in touring the province.

“Public safety is not just we deal with statistics. Statistics are only the files that have been reported, but the perception in the area of all parts of the town, people feel it’s not as safe as before. This is serious. This is a fundamental piece that we need to address.”

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He says, if people don’t feel safe in a community, they won’t come here to work or invest. Improving public safe is a fundamental piece to economic development. So how does Prince George set itself apart as a priority for this new ministry?

“We are a transportation hub for the northern BC. We want to be better. First of all, I’m not going to rank our city. Just a so-so in terms of public safety compared to all other municipalities.”

Yung says the short-term goals are to find ways to help those who find themselves on the street whether due to addiction or mental health, while addressing some of the criminal activity that has been overlooked in recently. And that regardless of community.

“The long term, of course, I want to go to the economy. People want a place to feel safe, to live and work and play. That hasn’t really changed. It doesn’t matter.”

Nonetheless, Mayor Yu says the fact Yung has come to the community and listened to different parties is a step in the right direction.

“I think that a minister came here to listen and to take a look at the existing policy and see in our bail reforms and all the files that may be related to public safety. How is that being implemented?”

Yung says he will take the information back to Victoria and find ways to cater solutions to the needs of this community.