Big security push for Canada 150 festivities
Victoria festival kicks off countdown to Canada’s 150th birthday party
Hundreds of police officers will be deployed across Greater Victoria during Spirit of 150 events in Victoria, which begin on Wednesday and run until Canada Day.
It has become the norm for a heightened police presence at large-scale events, as a reaction to terror attacks in Boston, Berlin, Nice and most recently London. An estimated 50,000 people are expected to gather at the Inner Harbour on Canada Day alone for live music and fireworks.
In Victoria, measures include temporary surveillance cameras in public spaces on June 30 and July 1, a tactic the Victoria Police Department has used in the past to assist with criminal investigations. Officers will monitor live video to help deploy resources where they are needed.
Victoria police spokesman Const. Matt Rutherford said the cameras, to be taken down after Canada Day, will be used in compliance with the B.C. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The department is reviving the hashtag #vicpdhelps on the evenings of June 30 and July 1 for people to report nonemergency incidents such as fights, vandalism or public drunkenness. People are encouraged to call 911 for emergencies.
Officers from Saanich, Central Saanich and Oak Bay will be downtown to assist Victoria police with crowd control and enforcement.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak said in a statement that the department has been planning for several months to ensure Spirit of 150 Victoria events are safe.
Victoria police would not say how many officers and reserve constables will be deployed. In the past, about 200 officers have been stationed around downtown on Canada Day, including officers working at roadblocks to nab drunk drivers.
“While we don’t discuss our specific operational plans for events, VicPD continues to monitor the various incidents that have recently occurred around the world; we are confident in our security plan for the Spirit of 150 events,” Rutherford said in an email.
In Nice, Berlin and most recently London, terrorists have used vehicles to plow into crowds of people, killing indiscriminately.
With Canada’s 150th birthday events taking place across the country, it’s important to find the right balance between celebration and security, said Cpl. Tammy Douglas, spokeswoman for Island district RCMP.
Douglas said the RCMP is not aware of threats against Canada Day celebrations, but continues to be vigilant.
The local police jurisdiction, in this case Victoria police, has the prime responsibility for security at each event, she said, but information is shared with the RCMP to determine if “specialized support services” are needed, based on the size and location of the event. The Mounties asked that any suspicious activity be reported to police.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said Victoria police use “intelligence-led” policing to proactively deal with potential security risks.
“VicPD and all the officers coming down take any big gathering seriously, be it Canada Day, a marathon or Remembrance Day,” Helps said. “We have all sorts of protocols in place to make sure people are safe and that’s no different for this year’s events.”
Saanich police spokesman Sgt. Jereme Leslie said the department will ensure extra staff is on duty to handle calls for service.
West Shore RCMP said it is in discussions with Victoria police regarding resources, but spokesman Const. Alex Bérubé could not say if West Shore members will be stationed in Victoria. Sidney/North Saanich RCMP will not be sending officers to Victoria, but spokesman Cpl. Chris Manseau said Mounties will be stationed around bus stops heading to Victoria to ensure passengers aren’t carrying open alcohol.
Officers with the Integrated Road Safety Unit will be stationed across Greater Victoria on June 30 and July 1, setting up roadblocks and searching for impaired drivers, said Staff Sgt. Ron Kronk.
The roadblocks will continue on July 2 for the Light up the Highway enforcement campaign, which kicks off the provincewide summer road-safety blitz. “There’s three days where IRSU won’t sleep,” Kronk said.
What: Spirit of 150 Victoria featuring Arkells, Tegan and Sara, the Funk Hunters, Delhi 2 Dublin and more Where: Various locations, including Ship Point and the legislature lawn When: Wednesday through July 1 Admission: Free
The Spirit of 150 Victoria program is designed to offer something for everyone, from the music lover to the food fanatic. But over the course of 11 consecutive days, the spotlight will be on one specific thing: The people and places that make Victoria.
“From local artists and food vendors to local suppliers and technicians, it’s a massive opportunity for everyone to be seen as an amazing reflection of our city,” said Nick Blasko of Atomique Productions, which is producing the event. “We’re excited about it.”
More than 100 free performances are on tap for the June 21July 1 event, with upwards of 600 performers involved in staging between seven and 10 hours of programming per day. The majority of the music will be held at Ship Point, which will offer family-friendly activities, multicultural performances and local food vendors. A main stage at the legislature lawn will also be active for performances on July 30 and July 1 featuring touring acts Tegan and Sara, Arkells, the Funk Hunters, Delhi 2 Dublin and others.
Spirit of 150 Victoria will conclude July 1 with fireworks over the Inner Harbour at 10:15 p.m. Portions of the Victoria event will be shown on CBC-TV as part of its three-hour broadcast from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, which will put the city on a national stage with 18 other participating municipalities.
“We’re definitely bringing vitality and celebration back to the Inner Harbour,” said Blasko, who noted that about 90 per cent of what is being offered musically originates from Victoria. “And not just for Canada Day, but for 11 days.”
Presented by the City of Victoria in partnership with the Greater Victoria Spirit Committee, Spirit of 150 Victoria came about via $400,000 in Canadian Heritage grant funding. Atomique Productions, which produces multi-day annual events such as Rifflandia, spent the better part of six months planning the program to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial.
Not since the now-defunct Victoria Folk Festival or the 1994 Commonwealth Games concert series has a program of events of this length been assembled, Blasko said.
Greater Victoria Spirit Committee chairman Alan Lowe, who was Victoria mayor from 1999 until 2008, is excited to see the city bustling in such a way. “I’m hoping that the last two days are going to be like the feeling we had during the Commonwealth Games.”
Downtown travel during the festivities will be disrupted, on both bus and vehicle routes, so organizers are preaching for patience during peak hours. Blasko expects a total attendance in the neighbourhood of 250,000, so delays will be a fact of life for those attending the events on each of the 11 days. “
Spirit of 150 Victoria begins Wednesday with indigenous programming that coincides with National Aboriginal Day. Other thematic days are part of the 11day festival, including Youth Day (June 22), La Celebration de la Francophonie (June 24), and Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27).
Nights centred on a particular style of music, from folk and electronic music to country and psychedelic rock, will also be offered.
“We’ve heard from people looking at the various programming throughout the country that our lineup ins one of the best,” Lowe said. “We’re very excited.”
As it coincides with Canada’s sesquicentennial, greater attention is being paid this year to the Coast Capital Savings Living Flag ceremony, which takes place on the legislature lawn at 2 p.m. on July 1. The ceremony will outfit participants with free red and white Tshirts, to assemble and create the “living” Canadian flag. A push is underway to top 5,000 participants for the first time ever.
For complete information on Spirit of 150 Victoria, visit spirit150victoria.ca.