Safety protocols and planning routinely reviewed, say Island event organizers after Vancouver tragedy

Event organizers on Vancouver Island say they regularly review and update security plans, and are doing so again after the deadly attack on a Vancouver festival

Festival organizers, police and municipalities on Vancouver Island indicate safety protocols for large, public events are routinely reviewed – as security comes under a national microscope following the deadly attack at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver.

“We’ll start off by extending our condolences to the families of all the victims from the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver, an absolutely tragic event,” says Saanich Police Department Insp. Andy Stuart.

Victoria’s mayor is also expressing condolences to the families, amid a regional conversation around event security.

“We have very robust plans with all of our partners in community safety, organizations, non-profits, the police obviously, fire and other emergency responders, and the folks who plan these particular types of events,” says Mayor Marianne Alto. “I’m very confident in all of that work.”

The Greater Victoria Festival Society says it’s had an emergency action plan for the last 10 years, which is adapted and changed as needed. This year, it’s adding more traffic control vehicles and has requested more traffic control personnel for the 125th Victoria Day Parade.

“We are heartbroken by the tragedy, but one thing that is very important is that our communities do not live in fear,” says executive director Kelly Kurta, in a statement.

“We need to support all these communities.”

She says the Filipino community will be honoured and in attendance at its One World Cultural Festival May 17 and the parade May 19.

In Saanich, the police officer in charge of the department’s patrol division says operational safety plans try to prepare for all possibilities, which includes learning from past events.

“Any time something happens, we’ll look at the information provided from whichever police agency or partner has that and we’ll use that to try and make our plans safer, more robust and ensuring that the community is able to enjoy the event,” says Stuart.