Improved security coming to North Bay's downtown

North Bay's DowntownImprovement Area is exploring options to improve the safety and security of the area.

According to the Downtown Improvement Area, an organization created by the city to "preserve and develop the heart of North Bay," the downtown is seeing an increase in crime, homelessness, poverty and addictions.

"Downtowns including ours seems to be a hot spot for that type of individual," Michelle Trudeau, chair of the DIA said. "We have a lot of social services programming down here, they handle a lot of that clientele so it's natural that we're seeing a little more of that."

"It's a bit graphic, more graphic than we're used to."

Trudeau's business, Michelle's FrameMaker and Gallery, has been downtown for 25 years. The area has changed, though she said she believes there are underlying causes of the safety issues in the area.

"Mental health and addiction is a huge issue here and across the country," she said.

"Homelessness is also a very, very big issue and we're seeing more of that as well these days as the priceincrease across the board for absolutely everything."

"People that make very little just have a hard time making ends meet," she said.

Recently, a well known downtown business was broken into for the third time. At the end of July, Pearls Inc, a jewlery store that's been a staple in the downtown for many years was broken into again.

"I think that some businesses are targets for petty theft because they have small items that can easily be sold for money and I think that naturally we see a lot of value in jewlery and gold and diamonds," said Trudeau.

She said the entire downtown community has expressed sympathy for the owners of Pearls.

"Everyone is really unhappy with what has happened, professionals, banks in the downtown and the retailers themselves and our customers," she said.

Break-ins and other crimes are some of the factors thatprompted the DIA to start looking into solutions to improve the safety of the downtown. Trudeau says they're looking into hiring security and other ways they can ensure their customers and business are safe.

"The whole reason for hiring a security person is so that we can secure the area and make customers feel a little more safe if they're having issues with anything and give the businesses a little more confidence in the safety of their business," Trudeau said.

"As well, most people have alarms but these smash and grabs happen pretty quick, you know they're long gone usually before the police are able to get here."

Trudeau says the group isstill in the planning processes of getting security in place, and she's not sure when they will have anyone hired.