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Prince George Citizen October 12, 2023

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PAGE 14

Criminals cashing in on metal theft TED CLARKE Citizen staff

DAVE HOLLAND/SPEED SKATING CANADA PHOTO

NATIONAL CHAMP Prince George speed skater Carolina Hiller won her

second straight national title last week in the women’s 500m at the Canadian Long Track Championships in Calgary.

When the province introduced the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act in 2012 to crack down on illegal metal sales, Mike Morris was still working as an RCMP officer and he was encouraged the new law might have the desired effect. Eleven years later, metal theft continues to be an ongoing problem that plagues B.C. cities. The potential to cash in on their crime motivated thieves a few weeks ago to break into the former Achillion restaurant in downtown Prince George, which led to a natural gas explosion that seriously injured a city worker. The problem with the law is it is not being

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enforced, says Morris, the B.C. United MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie. “It’s obviously not, because we wouldn’t be having this problem if it was,” said Morris. “It’s an issue. “The legislation’s got some teeth to it but it’s still been happening here and I think there’s too many loopholes in it.” The law’s intent is to regulate how dealers buy metal products and discourage thieves from stealing high-value metal, especially from utilities and municipalities. The act falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (a ministry Morris oversaw when the B.C. Liberals formed government), which is responsible for ensuring dealers and recyclers register and comply with the rules.

See ‘SIGNIFICANT COMPLIANCE, page 12

Contact Gary Clarke

Go to snowowls.ca

250.564.2001 whoo@snowowls.ca


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