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Kelowna, B.C.’s top RCMP officer says he’s hearing growing frustration from local business owners as crime and social disorder continue to impact the city.
Supt. Chris Goebel addressed city council on Monday, acknowledging the day-to-day realities many businesses are facing, including people sleeping in doorways, open drug use, warming fires and damage to private property.
“They are the ones experiencing it,” Goebel told council. “And I hear you.”
The comments come as ongoing break-ins and visible social disorder leave many business owners questioning when enough is enough.
Lori Sellen, owner of Hitz Boutique, says the damage downtown is becoming a daily sight.
“Every day there’s another window boarded up here,” Sellen said. “There’s evidence of fires, we see it all the time down here.”
According to Kelowna RCMP data, reports of social disorder are up 15 per cent in 2025. At the same time, break-and-enters are down 8.1 per cent, a statistic that has come as a surprise to many downtown businesses.
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Nyssa Morgan, studio manager at Sweat Studios, says those numbers don’t always reflect the reality on the ground.
“It might not necessarily be what the reality is for downtown businesses,” Morgan said. “Sometimes the response to break-ins is they show up half an hour, an hour after it happens.”
While business owners credit RCMP and bylaw officers for stepping up patrols in recent weeks, there are concerns the increased presence may not last.
“Are they going to keep it up?” Sellen asked. “That’s what we need, desperately.”
Last week, Kelowna’s mayor told officials in Ottawa that the RCMP does not have the tools and support needed to keep the community safe.
“No one wants to hear that,” Sellen said. “Obviously, we need more help.”
Goebel pointed to a provincial pilot program targeting chronic property crime and public disorder as one approach showing promise. According to police, all five identified repeat offenders through the program are currently in custody.
“Looking at the 2025 police data, there would have been 646 individuals we would have submitted for consideration for this program,” Goebel said.
In recent weeks, hundreds of business owners packed two separate forums focused on crime and public disorder, one hosted by the City of Kelowna and another organized by local Conservative MLAs. While there is some optimism, many say municipal action alone isn’t enough.
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