Vancouver Country Council

Vancouver Country Council

    The Vancouver Country Council web site has been established as a means to facilitate communication between U.S. Businesses and the U.S. Embassy. The site is linked to the main Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) database and you may use your OSAC user account to access additional content within this site.

Vancouver 2008 Crime & Safety Report

Overall Crime and Safety Situation

Compared to most major U.S. cities, the overall crime rate for Vancouver is below average. In 2007, Vancouver’s violent crime rate dropped six percent compared to 2006. There were nineteen homicides in 2007, up from fifteen in 2006. Many of the homicides in 2007 were directly related to gang versus gang activity.

Property crime is by far the biggest crime threat in Vancouver. Vancouver leads Canada in this category, although incidents dropped eleven percent in 2007. Property crime is predominantly related to habitual drug users and homeless persons who commit crimes to fund their addictions. A majority of the property crime is non-violent and includes theft from auto, shoplifting and tourist-related crime.

Vancouver’s highways and road conditions are similar to the United States and pose no unusual hazards.

Political Violence

Throughout 2007, the U.S. Consulate has been the focus of a number of demonstrations. The demonstrations cover a wide range of issues, including anti-U.S. foreign policy, anti-war, and anti-2010 Olympics. Larger demonstrations and those not aimed at the U.S. Consulate generally occur at the Vancouver Art Gallery and may proceed past the U.S. Consulate, five blocks away. All demonstrations have been peaceful and have been met by a well organized police response.

British Columbia-specific Concerns

Property crime and tourist-related crime are the most serious concerns for travelers. Natural disasters are rare; however, Vancouver is in an earthquake zone. Kidnappings and narco-terrorism are not a concern in British Columbia.

Police Response and Medical Emergencies

The Vancouver Police Department and suburban police services have been proactive in addressing criminal activity in the Lower Mainland. Officers generally respond to the crime scenes in a timely manner. Police agencies and emergency medical services in the Vancouver area have 911 capabilities, which have proven highly effective in those rare instances when members of the U.S. mission have needed police or emergency services. Routine and emergency requests for police assistance from the Regional Security Officer in Vancouver have been met with an excellent response by the Vancouver Police Department and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The working relationship between the Regional Security Office, the other five resident U.S. Law enforcement agencies, and the Canadian law enforcement community continues to be outstanding.

Tips on How to Avoid Becoming a Victim

Visitors to Vancouver are advised to take the same security precautions they would take while traveling to any major U.S. city. Although the overall violent crime rate in Canada is much lower than that found in the U.S., it is still higher than the rate in some European countries. All U.S. travelers to British Columbia should practice sound security procedures and immediately report any unusual incidents to local authorities. There is no known specific terrorist threat directed against official or private U.S. citizens in British Columbia; however, many groups exist in Canada that have ties to or are sympathetic with various well-known international terrorist organizations. The Regional Security Officer recommends the use of common sense as well as remaining alert and conscious of one’s environment at all times in order to avoid being victimized.

Some specific recommendations follow:

• Keep a photocopy of your passport’s first page in a separate location as this can facilitate replacement of a lost or stolen passport.
• Keep wallets, cash and valuables in a secure location.
• Avoid flaunting or displaying large sums of cash or jewelry in public.
• If staying in a hotel, store valuables in safety deposit boxes r room safes and always keep your room door locked.

Contact information

Police and Fire Rescue Emergencies: 911
Vancouver Police Department: (604) 713-3535

Royal Canadian Mounted Police ‘E’ Division (British Columbia): (604) 264-3111
For American Citizen Services, travelers may contact U.S. Consulate Vancouver 24 hours a day at (604) 685-4311. The Consulate’s Regional Security Office can be contacted at (604) 642-6661.

OSAC

An OSAC Country Council in Vancouver was established in March 2008. Please contact RSO Eric Miller if you are interested at 604-642-6670.