Security uncertainty at Terrace shelter sparks concerns from city

Terrace city council has voted to send a letter to both B.C. housing and the Ministry of Housing voicing concerns with the removal of security presence at a local emergency shelter. 

The move comes after news that security funding to 'Ksan Society, which runs Joe’s Place, will not be renewed after March 31. 

Joe's Place is a 40-bed emergency shelter located in southwest Terrace and under contract to B.C. housing. 

"Removing security is ill-advised, unappreciated and frankly not acceptable," said councillor James Cordeiro, who put forth the motion at the Feb. 23 meeting.

Cordeiro said he thought there would be an ongoing security presence at the shelter. He also said he believes a security presence there benefits staff safety.

"That was one reason why I was not adamantly opposed to it, and begrudgingly went along with it," he said. 

"I don't appreciate that the city in effect is now going to have to pick up the tab to be their security."

The Terrace RCMP have been tracking the time spent at Joe's Place Shelter, at request of council. 

In its most recent quarterly report, it noted that officers spent 10.5 hours at the shelter between July to September 2025. 

"Our numbers are going to go up," said Staff Sgt. Michael Bourguignon at the meeting.

"Before they had security, the numbers were a lot higher than they are currently, and this last quarter they were down significantly."

Having visible security presence at the location has made a noticeable difference, Bourguignon said.

"At the end of the day, the taxpayer pays 70 per cent of the RCMP cost," said Terrace Mayor Sean Bujtas to CBC News.

"If we are sending our RCMP there more, it's just going to put more burden on everyone else."