Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results

Overview

Ministry Goals

The following three high-level goals flow from the Ministry's public safety mandate and guide the programs and services of the Ministry. The goals have been revised in our continued efforts to present performance information that adequately represents the diverse nature of the work carried out in all areas of the Ministry.

Linkage to Government's Five Great Goals

Through its programs and services, the Ministry continues to work to ensure the safety of all British Columbians. These efforts contribute to a strong foundation for the realization of each of the Five Great Goals of government.

The Ministry directly supports the second Great Goal of healthy living and physical fitness through efforts to reduce alcohol and drug misuse and through addiction prevention and treatment efforts in our correctional facilities and our communities.

The Ministry also directly supports the third Great Goal of the best system of support through protective programs and specialized victim service programs for various groups, including at-risk children.

Lastly, the Ministry directly supports the fourth Great Goal of sustainable environmental management through initiatives to strengthen hazard mitigation and emergency management throughout British Columbia.

Cross Ministry Initiatives

Crystal Meth Strategy

Government's Crystal Meth Strategy, led by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, targets the use and production of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) through an integrated framework that strengthens partnerships amongst communities, service providers and law enforcement agencies. The Crystal Meth Secretariat was established in 2005 to support new and continuing initiatives based on prevention, treatment and enforcement, including:

• increasing awareness of the dangers of crystal meth in schools and communities;
• supporting First Nations' efforts to respond to crystal meth use and production;
• enhancing specialized treatment services;
• reducing production and supply;
• ensuring safe enforcement by first-responders;
• mitigating environmental damage of toxic by-products used in production of the drug; and,
• monitoring and analyzing trends in use.

ActNow BC

ActNow BC, led by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, combines cross government and community-based approaches to promote healthy living choices for British Columbians. The programs and initiatives champion healthy eating, physical activity, ending tobacco use, and healthy choices during pregnancy.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General supports this initiative by:

• operating AdventureSmart through the Provincial Emergency Program to help British Columbians develop safe and healthy behaviours in their outdoor recreational activities;
• collaborating with other ministries on initiatives to identify risks and protective factors for young families and to help women make healthy choices in pregnancy, including the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy; and,
• funding community gaming grants to Parent Advisory Committees and other non-profit volunteer organizations to support youth sports and recreation clubs.

2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

All provincial ministries, agencies and Crowns have been working together to ensure every available opportunity to develop sustainable economic legacies is explored and pursued so that businesses and communities in British Columbia receive benefit from the Games.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is:

• leading a team of stakeholders to ensure that appropriate security, disaster, emergency and public safety plans are in place during the Games, while ensuring that all communities continue to remain well-served; and,
• implementing nationwide lottery products and distributing the net proceeds to support amateur sports in communities throughout British Columbia.

Literacy

The Government of British Columbia has set a goal to make B.C. the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent. To be considered literate, a person has sufficient reading skills to understand and process printed information encountered in everyday activities. The Ministry of Education is leading the development and implementation of the Provincial Literacy Action Plan — ReadNow BC — to help British Columbians improve their reading skills.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General supports the initiative by offering literacy programming in correctional centres in collaboration with school districts.

Regulatory Reform

British Columbia continues to make regulatory reform a priority across government, making it easier for businesses to operate and succeed in British Columbia while preserving regulations that protect public health, safety and the environment. A citizen-centred approach to regulatory reform will reduce the number of steps it takes to comply with government requirements or access government programs and services.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General remains committed to controlling regulatory burden, continuing to target a zero net increase in regulations. The Ministry also continues to work toward improving regulatory quality through more citizen-centred, cost-effective, results-based and streamlined steps involved in complying with regulations.

Citizen-Centred Service Delivery

Citizen-centred service delivery is a government-wide initiative to coordinate information, programs and services so that they can be presented to citizens in a way that takes their needs into account from beginning to end. The vision is to make it possible for citizens to access the government information and services they need in a simple and timely manner with a phone call, a mouse click or a visit to a service centre, no matter how many programs or ministries are involved in their request.

In keeping with a focus on citizen-centred service delivery, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is exploring avenues for increased emphasis on citizen and stakeholder consultations to guide policy and program development. This Service Plan reflects that shift with inclusion of performance measures based on public and stakeholder surveys.