Are you worried about illegal drugs, alcohol, prostitution, or other illegal activities in your building or on your street? The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Investigation Unit gives you a way to safely report your concerns.
Under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, the SCAN unit can help improve community safety by shutting down properties that are regularly used for illegal activities.
Residents can call SCAN and confidentially report problem residences and businesses.
Once you file a confidential complaint with SCAN, and there is enough evidence to support it, an investigation is launched.
SCAN investigators will first try to resolve the issue through informal actions, such as a warning letter to the property owner.
The SCAN unit can also order property owners to remove fortifications that cause public safety concerns, or exceed reasonable security measures.
The last resort is formal action, such as a community safety order, which can shut the building down for up to 90 days.
The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act is not criminal legislation. Rather, it provides a civil process to shut down properties where these illegal activities are taking place.
You will have to give your name for the purposes of the investigation. However, the process is confidential. That means your name will never be revealed. In addition, SCAN members deal with all court proceedings that may result from the complaint. Your privacy is assured throughout this process.