Mayor Popove irate over provincial funding cuts that force city to pay $28,000/month more in security costs

Mayor Ken Popove aired his frustration about the provincial funding cuts during an in-person visit with 89.5 Morning host Glen Slingerland Thursday morning (June 25).

“That’s just something that just irks me. To the tune of $28,000/month, now we, the taxpayers, have to foot that bill to continue these security patrols that we’ve had in place the last few years,” Popove told Slingerland. “We currently spend $1.6 million a year on security to address calls for service, and that doesn’t include bylaw, fire or police. It’s another act of the province downloading.”

Popove says the former minister of housing, MLA Ravi Kahlon, wanted the City of Chilliwack to sign a memorandum of understanding over a year ago that would encourage communities to take on this role within a regional mandate or framework. The word “regional” in the strategy did not sit well with Popove and his colleagues, who rejected the proposed MOU.

“Is it payback? Maybe. I don’t know. It’s not fair,” Popove said. “We were asked to put these (housing) units in, we’ve got three going. We have more beds per capita than any other community in the Lower Mainland. I bet Ravi has none in his community. Sorry, I’m beating him up but I am. It’s just not fair. And now for us to put this on the back of our taxpayers. If you go x 12, that’s almost $340,000 a year. It’s not right.”

Jennifer Hahn’s letter states the city has experienced a “significant” increase in the volume and frequency of security incidents and police calls for service associated with activities at, and in close proximity to, shelters and supportive housing sites.

“This escalating demand has reinforced the need for dedicated 24/7 security patrols as an essential component of maintaining public safety, protecting vulnerable individuals, being a responsible neighbour, and preserving peace, order, and community confidence in the areas where shelters and supportive housing are located,” Hahn’s letter indicated.

As documented by Fraser Valley Today earlier this year, the city of Chilliwack currently spends in excess of $1.6 million annually on Griffin Security, in addition to significant bylaw, fire and policing costs, to address calls for service associated with shelters and supportive housing facilities. Altogether, the city spends over $5 million a year on costs related to homelessness.

Hahn wrote in her letter that municipal taxpayers are already bearing a considerable share of the costs associated with supporting provincial housing, health, and social service mandates.

“City Council has consistently expressed concern regarding the disproportionate concentration of shelter beds and supportive housing units within Chilliwack, the lack of comparable shelter capacity in neighbouring communities to the west, and ongoing reports from local service providers that community resources are being strained by the continued influx of individuals experiencing homelessness from outside the community,” Hahn wrote in her letter.

On several occasions, Chilliwack City Council members have repeatedly voiced concerns regarding the growing financial burden being placed on local taxpayers to address matters that are fundamentally linked to provincial responsibilities for housing, health care, mental health, and addictions services. For example, the city has advocated for a more equitable distribution of shelter beds and requested additional mental health supports, but the province has done nothing to alleviate those stated concerns.

As of January 2026, there were 34 ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) teams across the province that provide enhanced, wrap-around care and treatment to people in the community who struggle with complex mental health. Of those 34 teams, seven are in the Fraser Health region, including Abbotsford-Mission and Langley, but Chilliwack has none.

The city says the province has rejected Chilliwack’s request for an ACT team in the community, telling city staff there are other services that exist in the community.

Another ongoing challenge involves the lack of detox beds in the Fraser Health region. There are 26 detox beds for a Fraser Health population area of over 1.5 million people, but it simply isn’t enough.

“Given Council’s longstanding concerns regarding the concentration of services in Chilliwack and the substantial municipal investment already being made to support these facilities, this decision by BC Housing will undoubtedly be met with significant disappointment and frustration by Council, with a decision that shifts additional costs and operational pressures onto the City and its taxpayers,” Hahn wrote. “At a time when public scrutiny of homelessness-related expenditures, community safety, and government accountability continues to intensify, I am writing to urge you to reconsider this decision and continue this important partnership with the City. Such continued investment in dedicated security demonstrates a commitment not only to the safety of clients and staff, but also to the principle that shelter and supportive housing providers must be responsible and respectful neighbours within the communities that host them.”

by Mike Vanden Bosch

Mayor Popove irate over provincial funding cuts that force city to pay $28,000/month more in security costs

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