Sechelt council has approved the next steps for a public surveillance camera pilot program, aiming to explore how video monitoring could enhance community safety. The decision was made during a regular council meeting on May 21, where staff presented recommendations for the Community Safety Surveillance Camera System Pilot Project.
The approved plan includes three key steps. First, a privacy impact assessment will be submitted to the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner for pre-approval of the pilot program. Second, staff will engage with the public to gather feedback on the proposed surveillance system. Finally, a report summarizing the public input will be presented to council, with the possibility of introducing a district-wide surveillance system as a new service in 2026, subject to council review before July 1, 2025.
Despite the approval, the plan faces scrutiny from privacy advocates. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC has historically questioned the effectiveness of municipal surveillance cameras. A letter included in the council meeting package cited concerns about widespread video monitoring and its potential to invade the privacy of law-abiding citizens.
In the 2018 letter, then-acting Information and Privacy Commissioner Drew McArthur warned that some proposals in BC would create a scale of video surveillance unprecedented in the province. McArthur emphasized that surveillance cameras do not reliably prevent crime and that local governments might be using cameras as a simple solution to complex social problems. He highlighted the example of the United Kingdom, which has over six million cameras but no significant reduction in urban crime rates.
McArthur noted that surveillance cameras are particularly ineffective against violent crime, which often occurs spontaneously. He argued that video monitoring might capture crimes after they happen but rarely prevents them.
The council also considered involving the Sechelt Downtown Business Association in public safety initiatives. Staff recommended exploring a grant program to help association members fund security improvements, such as cameras, while aligning with the district’s Business Improvement Area Bylaw. Funding for the association comes from collected taxes, with spending decisions made by the board. Some funds could potentially support surveillance cameras in local businesses.
Councillor Darren Inkster referred to the devices as “safety cameras” and stressed the importance of balancing public safety with privacy expectations. He said the terminology reflects community concerns while acknowledging legal considerations under privacy laws.
Councillor Dianne McLauchlan expressed concern about approving the program without knowing the potential camera locations. She cautioned that publicizing locations prematurely might create unnecessary fear or misconceptions about crime rates, which can often be higher in perception than in reality.
However, Councillor Alton Toth argued that the discussion about specific locations was premature. He emphasized the need to first gather public feedback and understand how the cameras would function before deciding on placement. Toth also supported working with the downtown business association to implement cameras in local stores, suggesting this approach could offer quicker results while the pilot project develops.
The pilot program marks a careful first step for Sechelt in testing public surveillance while addressing privacy concerns and gauging community support. Council will review the collected data and public feedback before making longer-term decisions about implementing a broader surveillance system.
