Sault downtown association looking for long-term crime fix
The Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Association is exploring other means of protecting businesses from crime.
The association has hired private security to patrol the downtown at night, while the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has stepped up daytime patrols. However, some association members say it hasn't been enough.
Salvatore Marchese, president of the Downtown Association, is looking to other organizations across the province to get a sense of how to deal with security issues.
"It's not historically been a BIA's mandate to do security measures," said Marchese. "But in an ever evolving world, these things are starting to arise. So, it varies around the province. A lot of it is working with your other organizations in the city to see what you can do to assist those organizations."
Marchese said while incidents of violent crime and vandalism have subsided, security in the downtown core continues to be an issue for businesses. Paul Mason, a director on the Downtown Association board, said he's not sure how the problem can be solved without more police resources to investigate crime.
"Cameras are one thing -- Sudbury's had cameras for a while now," said Mason. "But I've had members who have said they have cameras and it doesn't really do a whole lot because there's not enough resources for police to follow up and go after those cases if they do have video proof."
Mason said continued use of a private security firm to patrol the downtown overnight may not be the best use of the association's money. Marchese, meantime, said the Downtown Association will discuss whether it wants to continue paying for private security. He said the issue of crime downtown is complicated and will require a number of community partners to solve it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.