The number of police investigations into extortion-related cases has skyrocketed across the Lower Mainland this year — especially in Surrey, where not a single extortion charge has been laid in 2025.

Those results — or lack thereof — have the B.C. Conservatives demanding that the province tear down what they call the “highest-in-Canada” charge-approval threshold and let police lay charges directly.

The party says Premier David Eby’s “broken justice system” is failing to keep people safe, citing confirmed shootings are up 89 per cent in Surrey this year — 27 linked to 39 extortion attempts.

Conservative Leader John Rustard, along with MLAs Elenore Sturko and Steve Kooner, is calling for a dedicated task force of law enforcement and Crown Counsel to fast-track extortion files and speed up

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