Conservative MLAs Call for Immediate Reform of BC’s Charge Approval System to Confront Surrey’s Crime Wave

Conservative MLAs Bryan Tepper (Surrey-Panorama) and Mandeep Dhaliwal (Surrey North) are demanding Premier David Eby and the NDP government immediately reform British Columbia’s charge approval system and address the critical shortage of Crown Counsel in Surrey so that the Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the RCMP can crack down on criminals terrorizing local families and businesses.

“Premier Eby’s soft-on-crime approach has turned BC into a haven for criminals,” said MLA Bryan Tepper, Opposition Critic for Community Safety. 

“Surrey’s families and small businesses face threats, extortion, and gunfire, but the SPS and RCMP are stuck waiting on Crown Counsel that Surrey doesn’t even have. Ontario’s police can lay charges directly; BC must adopt the same system for extortion cases immediately.”

British Columbia has the strictest charge approval threshold in Canada, requiring police to wait for Crown Counsel approval with near 100% certainty of conviction. This process is severely hampered by a shortage of Crown Counsel in Surrey. In contrast, provinces like Ontario allow police to lay charges directly on a “reasonable prospect of conviction,” enabling quicker action against organized crime and extortion.

“David Eby’s NDP has failed Surrey with policies that protect criminals over communities. We need a Solicitor General who understands policing and the law, not one who hides behind inexperience and silence while extortionists run rampant,” Tepper added.

This year alone, Surrey has seen at least 39 extortion attempts and 27 shootings linked to extortion targeting South Asian businesses. Tepper warns the real number is likely much higher, as many victims are too afraid to report under the NDP’s weak approach to crime.

MLA Mandeep Dhaliwal echoed the urgency: “The NDP’s inaction is forcing Surrey’s families and business owners to live in fear. Criminals know they can act with impunity because of red tape and the lack of Crown Counsel. The Premier must lower the charge approval threshold for extortion offences now and give SPS and the RCMP the resources to act decisively.”

The Conservative Official Opposition is calling for:

• Lowering B.C.’s charge approval threshold to match other provinces;
• Allowing SPS and RCMP officers to lay charges directly in extortion cases;
• Immediate action to increase Crown Counsel capacity in Surrey.