Bait Cars Take Another Bite Out of Auto Crime

British Columbia’s innovative bait car program continues to exceed expectations with auto crime dropping across the province yet again, says Solicitor General John Les.

• In the first quarter of 2006, there was a 10 per cent drop in auto crime in the Lower Mainland compared to all of 2005 and a seven per cent drop provincewide.
• Expansion of the bait car program in 2004 resulted in a five per cent drop across B.C.  When the program was introduced on Vancouver Island, auto crime fell by 42 per cent in Victoria and 33 per cent in Nanaimo within six months.
• Bait cars are equipped with GPS devices, sensors, microphones and hidden cameras.  When a car is stolen, the location of the vehicle is tracked and the police respond.  The engine is then shut down by remote control and the suspects arrested.

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Province Clears the Air With Over $560,000 for Projects

The B.C. Government is providing $563,000 to support projects across the province to help improve air quality, announced Environment Minister Barry Penner.

• $100,000 of this is being provided to study and report on sources of coarse and fine particulate in Golden, Prince George and Kelowna.
• $70,000 will support the 2006 Air Quality Health Index pilot project in eight communities across the province and six regions in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
• These projects are in addition to a PST exemption of up to $2,000 for hybrid cars, a tax break for alternative fuel and funding the $1.9-billion Canada line, a rapid transit project linking Richmond, Vancouver and Vancouver International Airport.

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45 New Species at Risk Protected Under Legislation

Environment Minister Barry Penner announced measures to protect more endangered species while at the opening ceremonies of the Canadian Geographic 2006 Environmental Awards this week.

• Forty-five new species were added to the category of species at risk under the Forest and Range Practices Act.
• These species are identified as being impacted by forest and range activities and require specific habitat protection.
• The B.C. Government is working to identify and protect species and ecosystems that are most vulnerable.

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Province Funds New Autism Training Program

A $550,000 grant to Douglas College means more qualified behavioural support workers will be available to help families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), announced Minister of State for Child Care Linda Reid.

• The announcement also launched a new introductory training course in autism intervention and an autism citation program.
• The funding will contribute towards the development of the Behaviour Intervention Citation and bursaries for eligible students to take the introductory course and the citation.
• The new program will provide students with behaviour intervention skills and builds upon content from the Classroom and Community Support program.

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