Core Business Areas

Corrections protects communities through appropriate supervision and case management of adult offenders and accused persons. Through risk/needs assessments, Corrections determines suitable levels of supervision and evidence-based programming to address the thought patterns, behaviors and lifestyles that are known to contribute to crime.

Corrections operates nine correctional centres in British Columbia with various levels of security and control for individuals awaiting trial, serving a provincial custody sentence, awaiting transfer to federal prison, or detained under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This core business area also operates 53 probation offices, through which staff supervise court orders and manage alternative measures.

Corrections works closely with the police, the courts, Crown Counsel, victim services, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, the National Parole Board, Correctional Service of Canada, the Ministries of Health and Employment and Income Assistance, the federal Department of Justice, Aboriginal justice organizations and community service agencies.

Policing and Community Safety superintends law enforcement functions in British Columbia. This core business area ensures adequate and effective levels of policing enforcement throughout the province, including in small and First Nations communities. This is accomplished, in part, by administering policing policy and overseeing the funding and organization of provincial and municipal RCMP forces through contracts. Additionally, Policing and Community Safety is responsible for licensing and regulating the security industry and conducting criminal record checks on individuals who work with children, as defined under the Criminal Records Review Act, and maintaining the Protection Order Registry to support the enforcement of civil and criminal protection orders.

Policing and Community Safety develops and delivers programs to help British Columbians build and maintain safe communities and to support victims of crime and their families. Victim service programs, run by non-profit agencies and local municipalities, provide information about the justice system, practical help, emotional support and referrals to other appropriate programs. Funding and support is also provided to community-based crime prevention and restorative justice programs, and Policing and Community Safety works extensively with stakeholders to promote and support collaborative approaches to crime prevention and community safety.

Through Strategic Justice Partnerships, this core business area coordinates and supports cross government initiatives aimed at achieving public safety outcomes, such as criminal justice reforms, crime reduction strategies, the Crystal Meth Strategy (through the Crystal Meth Secretariat) and the Premier's Congress on Public Safety.

Emergency Management B.C. is comprised of the Provincial Emergency Program, the Office of the Fire Commissioner and the B.C. Coroners Service. This core business area is mandated to enhance all levels of government and first responder agencies' ability to assist British Columbians during emergencies, as well as to coordinate planning and mitigation activities to minimize the impact of natural and other disasters.

Provincial Emergency Program

The Provincial Emergency Program provides leadership to minimize loss of life and suffering, protect health, property, infrastructure and the environment, and reduce the economic and social impacts of emergencies and disasters, such as severe storms, floods, interface fires, earthquakes and landslides.

The Provincial Emergency Program works directly with local governments, provincial ministries and agencies, federal departments, other jurisdictions, industries and volunteers to support prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The agency also maintains an immediate activation capability to coordinate and lead the integrated provincial response to, and recovery from, emergencies and disasters, including a resource pool of provincial staff trained and experienced in managing emergency operations.

The agency supports public safety volunteer programs, including emergency social services, road rescue, land and air search and rescue operations, and emergency radio communications.

Office of the Fire Commissioner

The Office of the Fire Commissioner takes a leadership role in promoting fire and life safety and property protection services. The Office derives its authority from the Fire Services Act and the B.C. Fire Code and works closely with local government fire departments and partner agencies to achieve its objectives.

The mandate of the Office includes: developing public education programs and materials; conducting fire investigations; researching and promoting best practices for the fire service; providing fire code advice; coordinating fire fighter training; and supporting the provincial response to major emergencies.

B.C. Coroners Service

Governed by the Coroners Act, the B.C. Coroners Service is responsible for the investigation of all unnatural, sudden and unexpected deaths in the province, and for ensuring that the relevant facts are made a matter of public record, either through completion of a Judgment of Inquiry or the holding of an inquest. The B.C. Coroners Service also identifies and advances recommendations to improve public safety and prevent death in similar circumstances.

The agency is also responsible for conducting reviews of all child deaths occurring within the province. This requires appropriate liaison with agencies such as the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Representative for Children and Youth. The B.C. Coroners Service also conducts special reviews on issues affecting the prevention of child deaths and on child safety more broadly.

In the event of a mass disaster involving significant loss of life, the agency is responsible for the identification, recovery, examination and repatriation of human remains, including establishing a temporary morgue facility and connecting with families of the victims.

The Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles regulates drivers to help ensure the safe and responsible operation of motor vehicles in British Columbia.

Working in partnership with other organizations, the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles promotes and regulates the fitness and safety of drivers in the interests of public safety. The agency determines if drivers are physically, cognitively and medically fit to drive, and identifies and intervenes with bad drivers to improve driving behaviour.

The Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles may enforce driver interventions that reduce or prohibit driving privileges if established standards are not met, or may direct ICBC to cancel a driver's licence. The agency also provides an independent avenue of appeal for certain ICBC licensing decisions, conducts reviews of police decisions to impose administrative driving prohibitions and vehicle impoundments, and conducts hearings related to actions proposed by ICBC.

Gaming Policy and Enforcement regulates and ensures the integrity of all gaming in British Columbia. This includes regulatory oversight of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (which conducts and manages lotteries, casinos and commercial bingo halls), all gaming services providers and gaming workers, B.C.'s horse racing industry and licensed gaming events.

Gaming Policy and Enforcement reviews, approves and authorizes all companies, people and equipment involved in the gaming industry. All allegations of wrongdoing in gaming venues or related to illegal gambling are investigated. This core business area also issues gaming event licences to eligible community organizations and administers the distribution of government's gaming proceeds, including grants to community organizations, local governments and the horse racing industry. They oversee horse racing events, determine the outcome of each race, and adjudicate any related matters.

Gaming Policy and Enforcement manages a comprehensive audit strategy for commercial and charitable gaming, including horse racing, to ensure compliance with applicable legislation, policies and standards. This includes audits of organizations receiving gaming funds to ensure the proper use of these proceeds.

The Responsible Gambling Strategy and Problem Gambling Program are also administered to minimize harm and promote responsible gambling practices.

Liquor Control and Licensing regulates and sets policy for the manufacture and resale of liquor in licensed establishments in order to improve the safety of communities by reducing harm caused by liquor misuse.

This core business area issues licences in B.C. for making and selling liquor and supervises the service of liquor in licensed establishments. During the licence approval process, the Ministry works closely with local government/First Nations to obtain community input for licensing decisions.

Liquor Control and Licensing also educates and investigates licensees and inspects licensed premises to ensure compliance with liquor laws and policies, and the terms and conditions of their licence, and takes enforcement action when necessary, working in partnership with police and local government/First Nations and targeting resources on high-risk establishments.

This core business area includes the offices of the Solicitor General and Deputy Solicitor General, the Civil Forfeiture Program, Consumer Policy, the Film Classification Office and the B.C. Board of Parole.

The Civil Forfeiture Program helps government respond to crime by interrupting and deterring illegal activity. The program enables government to obtain court orders to recover proceeds and assets acquired by, or used in, unlawful activity. Money recovered is used to compensate eligible victims, fund crime prevention programs and pay for costs of administering the program.

Executive and Support Services also develops consumer protection policy and has responsibility for oversight of the B.C. Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority which enforces consumer protection law in the province.

The Film Classification Office safeguards public interests by regulating the public exhibition, rental and distribution of films, video games and videos in the province.

The B.C. Board of Parole will be dissolved with the repeal of the Parole Act and, effective April 1, 2007, responsibility for parole administration of provincial offenders will fall to the federal government. This will bring British Columbia in line with the national standard, with parole decisions carried out by the National Parole Board.

The Ministry's Information Resource Management Plan supports the work of all core business areas. An overview of the plan can be accessed at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/serviceplan/