---
title: "What Vancouver's seven civic parties say about public safety"
description: "Vancouver Is Awesome compiled public safety positions from all seven mainstream parties ahead of the October 17 election, covering policing, drug use, mental health response, and crime prevention."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vancouver-parties-public-safety-october-7"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:01:11.448Z"
---

Vancouver Is Awesome published a side-by-side of all seven mainstream parties' public safety platforms on October 7, compiled by reporter Mike Howell from news conferences, press releases and party websites. With ten days until the October 17 election, the comparison covers policing, open-air drug use, mental health response, and crime prevention.

VPD data cited in the article shows overall violent crime in Vancouver was up 6 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Assaults rose from 2,011 to 2,153 reported cases and robberies from 232 to 250. Break-ins to vehicles, however, fell from 16,431 in 2019 to 5,385 in 2025.

The parties' stated positions cover a wide range. ABC Vancouver calls for banning open-air hard drug use and pursuing more than 100 involuntary care beds. COPE calls for an audit of the VPD and says mental health calls should move to peer-assisted care teams instead. The Green Party of Vancouver proposes a 24-hour non-police mobile response team called CROW to handle non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness or addiction. OneCity wants a single crisis response system where mental health professionals and peer responders take calls that do not need police. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver prioritizes working with the province on long-term solutions and wants improved public washrooms and syringe collection across the city. Vote Vancouver calls for a community safety strategy built across police, health providers and community organizations. The Vancouver Liberals want to fund 15 new VPD financial crime officers and close Bitcoin ATMs and unregulated currency exchanges they say are used to launder drug proceeds.

All seven positions are the parties' own claims, compiled by Vancouver Is Awesome from party materials. A voter comparing platforms can read each party's full profile at [/parties](/parties). Advance voting is open through October 10.

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