Yellowknife MLAs Robert Hawkins and Kieron Testart are inviting residents to a public meeting on crime prevention and public safety.
The gathering takes place inside the city’s Northern United Place auditorium from 6:30pm-9pm on February 11.
The meeting takes place as the territorial government works to roll out new legislation designed to tackle crime during the legislature’s February session. Community and territorial leaders have said the NWT faces ongoing challenges from drug trafficking and related violent crime and theft.
“Businesses should not have to deal with harassment during the day or worry about break-ins at night. Revitalizing downtown starts with people feeling safe to shop, work, or pass through,” Hawkins said in a Monday news release.
“At the same time, non-profit organizations are struggling to provide critical services when dangerous activity threatens their residents and staff.”
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The news release asserted that crime in the territory has increased sharply over the past decade, with rates remaining well above the national average. The MLAs also described a rise in handguns in the territory and referenced public health warnings about an illicit drug supply containing increasingly dangerous substances.
Though RCMP have introduced new tools and strategies to address crime, Testart noted the territory is simultaneously implementing legislation such as Scan, civil forfeiture and the Trespass Act.
“At the same time, private security companies have become a common feature across Yellowknife, yet there is very little regulation and no standardized training requirements,” he was quoted as saying.
“If private security is going to play a significant role in public safety, it must be properly regulated to ensure the services they are providing are adequate.”
The two MLAs previously held a town hall to discuss changes to the Northwest Territories Nominee Program and broader immigration issues, as well as one on healthcare in the NWT.
