2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Core Business Areas

Corrections

This core business area protects communities through the safe management and control of adult offenders serving provincial terms of custody, community sentences, or on conditional release and those remanded into custody or released on bail supervision.

Corrections practices:

• integrated offender management, which is based on the assessment of the offender’s risk to re-offend and the need for supervision and management; and,
• interventions based on assessed risk and offender needs through core programs that promote changes in thinking and lifestyles that are known to contribute to crime.

Corrections is responsible for the supervision of:

• individuals awaiting trial and ordered into custody or bail for Criminal Code offences;
• adult offenders serving a community sentence or conditionally released from a provincial correctional centre;
• adult offenders with a jail sentence of less than two years;
• adult offenders awaiting transfer to a federal prison;
• federally sentenced offenders transferred to provincial jurisdiction; and,
• individuals detained under the federal Immigration Act.

Policing and Community Safety

This core business area superintends law enforcement in the province, provides victims of crime with services and benefits, assists communities with crime prevention, and provides coroner services, provincewide emergency preparedness, response and recovery, private security industry regulation and other protective programs.

Policing and Community Safety is responsible for:

• policy direction for policing and funding for the provincial police service and other police agencies, including the Organized Crime Agency of B.C. and the Police Academy at the Justice Institute of B.C.;
• leadership, advice, training and expertise on victim issues, and working in partnership with local municipalities and community-based organizations to provide funding for police-based and community-based victim services that provide information, assistance and support to victims of crime;
• supporting schools and communities in implementing effective crime prevention and justice strategies;
• the investigation of all unexpected and unexplained deaths (Coroners Service);
• support to local governments’ response to and recovery from disaster events (Provincial Emergency Program); and,
• criminal record checks on individuals working with children, maintaining the protection order registry, and conducting risk assessments on high-risk offenders to protect/prevent victims.

Compliance and Consumer Services

This core business area is responsible for consumer protection, residential tenancy services, film classification, administering programs related to driver fitness and dangerous drivers, and monitoring commercial vehicle industry carriers and professional drivers. The five divisions and offices that comprise this core business area are described below.

The Consumer Services Division:

• administers consumer protection legislation;
• regulates key industries or sectors to enhance consumer protection;
• participates with other enforcement agencies in combating consumer fraud and commercial crime;
• provides consumer/business mediation, information and education;
• administers consumer protection boards/funds, trusts and financial instruments; and,
• provides restitution to consumers and cost recovery to reduce cost to taxpayers.

The Residential Tenancy Office:

• administers legislation regulating relationships between residential property landlords and tenants;
• provides intervention and arbitration services to resolve landlord and tenant disputes; and,
• provides information services to landlords and tenants.

The Film Classification Office:

• administers the Motion Picture Act and regulations;
• classifies films into age-appropriate ratings and provides the public with advisories on film content so they may make informed viewing choices;
• reviews adult videos for content that is prohibited under the Motion Picture Act or the Criminal Code of Canada;
• licences film and video distributors, video retailers, and theatres;
• enforces the Act and regulations and removes unapproved or prohibited adult videos from the marketplace;
• assists the police and Canada Customs in the review of seized adult videos and the prosecution of cases resulting from these investigations; and,
• educates the public on the B.C. film classification system through a comprehensive website and school outreach program.

The Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles:

• sets licensing policy and monitors and regulates dangerous and unfit drivers;
• conducts appeals of administrative driving prohibitions and vehicle impoundments;
• conducts hearings and reviews of Insurance Corporation of British Columbia decisions respecting driver licence sanctions, driver training school and driver trainer licences; and,
• leads and supports government traffic safety initiatives.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Division:

• enforces laws and regulatory functions related to commercial vehicle safety and vehicle equipment standards in British Columbia;
• maintains and promotes road safety through the implementation and management of the National Safety Code, Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program, Private Vehicle Inspection Program, Commercial Transport Program, Transport of Dangerous Goods Program and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance;
• administers and enforces provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, Commercial Transport Act, Transport of Dangerous Goods Act, Motor Carrier Act, Motor Fuel Tax Act and regulations enacted there under;
• issues certifications to commercial carriers, designated vehicle inspection facilities and authorized vehicle inspectors;
• administers the province’s vehicle Emergency Flashing Light Program; and,
• participates on various national and international government road safety bodies to coordinate and harmonize commercial transport and vehicle equipment and safety standards.

Gaming Policy and Enforcement

This core business area regulates all gaming in British Columbia, ensures the integrity of people and equipment involved in the gaming industry, and investigates allegations of wrongdoing.

Gaming Policy and Enforcement:

• develops and manages gaming policy, legislation and standards;
• regulates all aspects of the gaming industry, including licensing charitable gaming events and horse racing;
• registers gaming service providers, gaming workers and gaming equipment;
• audits, investigates and enforces of all gaming sectors;
• manages the province’s Problem Gambling Program and related initiatives; and,
• manages the distribution of government’s gaming proceeds, including grants.

Liquor Control and Licensing

This core business area regulates the manufacture and resale of liquor in licensed establishments in the province in order to improve the safety of B.C. communities by reducing harm caused by alcohol misuse.

The Liquor Control and Licensing Branch:

• issues and transfers licences for resale and manufacture of liquor;
• regulates licensee advertising;
• inspects and educates licensees to ensure they comply with the law;
• maintains effective relationships with law enforcement, local government and other regulatory agencies;
• takes appropriate enforcement action for contraventions of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act and regulations; and,
• liaises with stakeholders to develop more effective policies and legislation.

Executive and Support Services

The core business area of Executive and Support Services provides for the Minister and Deputy Minister’s Offices and corporate costs, including the agencies, boards and commissions of the ministry.

Statutory and Special Accounts

This core business area provides for payments made under the Emergency Program Act, funds services as provided in the Victims of Crime Act, and provides payments for expenditures under the Forfeited Crime Proceeds Fund and Inmate Work Program.