Date: Friday, June 30, 2023 

File: 23-21956 

Victoria, BC –  VicPD officers and staff are looking forward to a safe, fun and family-friendly Canada Day. 

Officers and volunteer Reserve Constables will be greeting the public to help ensure that July 1st is a safe, fun and family-friendly event for everyone.  

You are encouraged to head downtown early as the event programming starts at noon. Road closures around the Inner Harbour will begin at 5 p.m. to provide a safe area for the community to celebrate. Additional road closures will come into effect throughout the afternoon and evening. 

BC Transit does not permit open alcohol on board BC Transit buses in the Capital Region. Officers will assist BC Transit personnel by responding to any issues which occur on transit buses during the events.  

With large crowds expected, people are encouraged to walk, cycle, or take public transit to the event. For those who choose to drive, parking will be free at the City’s five parkades and at on-street meters on July 1.  

Remember that drones over 250 grams are not permitted in the downtown core. The Inner Harbour is an active flight zone for float planes and helicopters, Transport Canada rules apply. 

As with previous events, we will be deploying our temporary, monitored CCTV cameras in support of our operations to ensure public safety during this year’s Canada Day celebration. The deployment of these cameras is part of our operations to help keep this event fun, safe and family-friendly and is in keeping with both provincial and federal privacy laws. Temporary signs are up in the area to ensure that the public is aware. If you’ve concerns about our temporary camera deployment, please email [email protected].  

For live updates on events, including road closures, and any public safety messaging, please follow us on Twitter on our @VicPDCanada account. We will be using the #VicPDLive hashtag.  

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We are seeking qualified candidates for both police officer and civilian positions. Thinking about a career in public service? VicPD is an equal-opportunity employer. Join VicPD and help us make Victoria and Esquimalt a safer community together.