BC Conservatives back calls for federal-provincial action against extortion crisis 

January 23,2026

RED FM News Desk

The BC Conservatives are pressing the federal and provincial governments to respond to Surrey’s call for additional support and take decisive action against a rapidly escalating wave of criminal extortion that has affected families and communities across British Columbia and beyond. 

“People are frightened right now. The brazen and targeted violence happening almost daily in B.C. is not normal, and it is not acceptable,” said Steve Kooner, Critic for the Attorney General and MLA for Richmond-Queensborough. “Communities need to see more from all levels of government to address this growing crisis. They need our provincial and federal governments to work together and provide them with the resources they’re demanding to combat these criminals.” 

The official media release from the party states that the call comes amid growing public concern over the response of both provincial and federal authorities. Recently, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke urged the federal government to “take immediate action and implement a full-scale national initiative” against extortion-related violence, as shootings tied to extortion attempts surge throughout Surrey and the Lower Mainland. 

Liberal Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, Sukh Dhaliwal, has highlighted that the Province has not done enough to request federal support, despite months of community appeals for action. 

For nearly a year, B.C. Conservatives have backed communities’ pleas for help and urged federal engagement, insisting the Province must secure immediate federal assistance to tackle the extortion crisis. 

In the first three weeks of 2026 alone, dozens of incidents involving extortion-related violence and threats against families have been reported. Yet, the Eby government has only announced funding to expand the firearm forensics laboratory. 

“Families throughout B.C. want proactive action. Communities are on the frontlines of this crisis, they know what they need, and they need more from the provincial and federal government, and they need it now,” added Kooner.