Surrey Police chief welcomes meeting with PM on B.C. extortion crisis

Surrey Police chief welcomes meeting with PM on B.C. extortion crisis

Published 12:56 pm Friday, February 20, 2026

Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinski said he was grateful to meet with the prime minister alongside other senior law enforcement leaders in Surrey on Thursday and discuss the work being done to tackle the extortion crisis.

The Prime Minister was in Surrey Thursday morning (Feb. 19) to meet with senior law enforcement leaders of the B.C. extortion task force.

In September, a provincial task force was set up to tackle the surge in extortion-related crimes affecting B.C.’s South Asian community, with representatives from Lower Mainland RCMP detachments, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Surrey Police Service, Abbotsford Police, Delta Police, the Canadian Border Services Agency and Metro Vancouver Transit Police.

Thursday’s meeting was held to discuss what is working, what needs to be done, and where improvements can be made in tackling the ongoing extortion crisis impacting cities across the Lower Mainland.

Lipinski said, “The collaboration between police and the federal government is integral to successfully combating these heinous crimes and the associated violence.”

Surrey Police said Wednesday (Feb. 18) that there have been 53 extortions reported, 11 extortion-related shootings, and 31 distinct victims (17 repeat) in 2026.

All levels of government are working together to tackle the ongoing extortion crisis affecting cities across B.C. and Canada.

At one point, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said Surrey felt like an island in this fight but no longer does as the provincial and federal governments have stepped up.

READ MORE: B.C. extortion advisory group includes former police, politicians

READ MORE: Surrey mayor discusses extortion crisis during ‘productive week’ in Ottawa

READ MORE: Extortionists have ‘no excuse for shooting’ at homes: B.C. Premier