More money for downtown businesses targeted by vandalism

Fred Jeffery said he has seen an increase in window damage this year, especially in particular businesses having serval windows break in a short period Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm

Nanaimo City Council on Monday voted to amend the service agreement for the Downtown Vandalism Relief Grant program.

Businesses in the downtown area will now be able to apply more than twice a year and receive up to $2,500 per incident up to a maximum of $5,000 per year. This money may also include up to 50 per cent of the cost of installation of security and preventative measures to a maximum of $1,000. 

The program first started in December 2022, and as of September 2023, 25 applications have been approved with $24,552.42 of funding being disbursed.

The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce has reported that approximately one-half of applications for grant assistance requested the full amount. 

On top of the 25 total funded applications, the Chamber has also provided additional graffiti clean-ups as the Chamber can use their own services of a contractor to remove graffiti from private buildings.

The change was voted in favour 5 to 4. 

Of those who opposed, both Councillor Sheryl Armstrong and Councillor Erin Hemmens said they are worried people will use the money to increase their security even if they do not have a problem with vandalism.

Councilor Hilary Eastmure who voted in favour noted that due to the wording, those who did apply for the grant would have to do so following an incident of vandalism.

Corry Gervais is the CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce which manages the program. She spoke to CHLY saying this program is needed because across the country there has been a larger-than-normal increase in vandalism especially in downtown cores.

“And as we know, a lot of businesses in the downtown core, their insurance rates are much, much higher than they are in other areas for this type of vandalism because it happens a little more often, for various reasons, not just because it's downtown,” Gervais said. “and there's a lot of unrest or anything like that. It could be proximity to an event or anything like that.” 

She also said that quicker clean-ups to vandalism will have business experiences less of it in the end.

“So we want to make sure that the businesses don't have these boarded up sites where there's been broken glass or a door broken or something like that because we know that that type of mediation actually increases vandalism,” Gervais said. “The quicker we can clean it up, the less vandalism that we experience.”

Right now she said the majority of the vandalism they are seeing is broken glass.

Fred Jeffery is the owner of the downtown clothing store Lucid and the president of the Downtown Nanaimo Business Association. He said he also has seen an increase in window damage this year, especially in particular businesses having serval windows break in a short period

“It's not just an expense, but it's a cost. If there's a security risk to your business, there can be you know, just weather, environmental damage can happen,” Jeffery said. “So that window needs to be replaced right away.”

Jeffery said that from his experience the window damage could range from actual attempts to break in, to people fighting and one pushing the other into the window, to someone in a state of psychosis and feeling like they needed to break the window.

Dave Lawrence is the owner and operator of That 50s Barbershop in downtown Nanaimo. This past year two of of his windows got smashed. He applied for the Downtown Vandalism Relief Grant and quickly got approved for about $1,000.

He said in cases of broken windows, although some businesses might have insurance for it, using the insurance might not always be the best option.

“But what you don't realize is that you use the insurance, and then your rates go up. And honestly, with smashed windows,” Lawrence said. “I remember saying that was my biggest concern. And my insurance broker said, you know, it can be $2,000 to fix the windows, but you still have to pay a $1,000 deductible.”

At the moment, Lawrence does not see the need for extra security such as adding bars to his window, but likes the idea if he does need to add bars, he could use the grant money for it.

When asked about what he thought about the extension to the grant program, Jeffery said that he is not sure if all window damage is an attempt to steal but he understands why someone might put bars in their windows for peace of mind for the owners.

He said he’s also not a big fan of putting up security cameras as the images from them won’t always be that great but said they can help law enforcement to identify the thieves or vandals. Jeffery also said putting up cameras could lead to more people suspecting those unhoused could commit vandalism or crime.

“I hate the idea that we put a camera up and then somebody calls the police because there's somebody who looks a little un-housed sitting in front of their building,” Jeffery said. “That's the danger is that our biases work in that play.”

For now, Jeffery sees the importance of this grant program to help support local businesses after vandalism. 

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.